The Mangaung Metro Municipality has established a disciplinary board to investigate and address financial mismanagement, following several years of governance failures and persistent unauthorised expenditure, municipal officials confirmed this week. Mayor Gregory Nthatisi stated that the board is currently probing 17 cases involving irregular, fruitless, and wasteful expenditure with the aim of recovering lost funds and restoring proper fiscal oversight.

Auditor-General Report Triggers Action

The initiative follows findings from the Auditor-General, who detailed extensive maladministration under the leadership of City Manager Sello More. According to official reports, More has been issued a certificate of debt, allowing the Auditor-General to hold him personally liable for the misuse of public funds. The municipality has received qualified audit opinions for three consecutive years, with unauthorised expenditure surpassing R1.3 billion during this period. As of February 2025, Mangaung Metro’s liabilities exceeded its assets by more than R468 million, highlighting the scale of the municipality’s fiscal crisis.

Board Mandate And Recent Turnaround Efforts

The disciplinary board was announced at a special council meeting held in Bloemfontein on 21 July 2026, specifically convened to address the ongoing fallout from the Auditor-General’s findings. Mayor Nthatisi said the board’s purpose is to “assist the municipality recover funds lost due to financial mismanagement.” The disciplinary board forms part of broader recovery efforts initiated after Mangaung was placed under a financial recovery plan in 2020. In October 2023, Minister Thembi Nkadimeng acknowledged progress but emphasised the continuing need for rigorous turnaround measures.

The disciplinary board will continue its investigations, with city officials indicating that outcomes and further remedial actions will be announced in due course.