Executive Mayor Thabo Manyoni

The newly elected deputy chairperson of the African Local Government Association wants to take the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality into greater heights by increasing investment and positioning it as a tourist destination of choice

Councillor Thabo Manyoni is the executive mayor of the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality (MMM).

After matriculating with an exemption in 1981, Manyoni completed an array of courses at some of South Africa’s leading tertiary institutions.

He has worked for some of the most influential institutions in our country, including Matla Trust, where he worked towards the empowerment of disadvantaged communities through education and training
Manyoni joined the Free State provincial government as the director of tourism and later became the CEO of the Free State tourism board. He has also served as the city manager of the Maluti-a-Phofung and the Mangaung local municipalities.

He resigned from the provincial government after being elected as the executive mayor of the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality during the 2011 local government elections. Manyoni was also elected national chairperson of the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) in September 2011.

Manyoni is also the deputy provincial chairperson of the ANC in the Free State.
Please tell us about your recent appointment as the deputy chair of the African Local Government Association (ALGA) and what it means for South Africa and the city?
The African Local Government Association is an association of municipalities across the African continent. This means that my responsibilities are now extended, as I will be dealing with issues of municipalities in the continent.

This signifies the trust that African countries have on South African leadership and I am very humbled by being given this responsibility. This will also further widen my experience and will allow me to learn other practices, from other countries, that can be implemented in our municipality to improve the lives of our Mangaung citizens.

Are you happy with the preparations the city has made for the 53rd national conference of the ANC?
Yes, I am happy because all the necessary facilities and infrastructure are ready and well capacitated to handle the demands of the conference. Mangaung has one of the best road networks; electrical infrastructure and water networks.

The delegates and guests will be able to access the venues with ease and securely. The environment will be conducive for the conference due to the adequate safety measures and access to basic services such as clean water and reliable electricity.

What security measures have been put in place to ensure that delegates attending the conference and visitors to the city are safe during the conference?
Crime prevention operations, by all law enforcement agencies, have been embarked upon by city security unit. The operation started on Monday December 10 and will continue throughout the duration of the conference until the end of the festive season.

The metro’s law enforcement unit is enforcing all the applicable municipal by-laws in the city and the greater Mangaung area on a daily basis as well as in the CBD.

The provincial traffic and the municipal traffic unit are embarking on traffic law enforcement measures to ensure a free flow of traffic and reduce traffic crimes. Therefore roadblocks; stop and searches; checking of the roadworthiness of vehicles; safety belts; car discs, etc, will be constantly conducted.

General crime prevention will be embarked upon by all police stations within the jurisdiction of Mangaung, to minimise crime to secure the city and its visitors.

What benefits will the city have in hosting this historic conference?
The city will benefit through the increase of its revenue; delegates and other guests will spend on a variety of goods and services. This will enhance the revenue earned by various businesses.
Job creation – businesses will employ additional workers to meet the increased demand for their business activities and enhanced tourism activities. Many people who ordinarily leave Bloemfontein for holidays at other places will remain in Bloemfontein to be part of the activities. This means that Mangaung will be a preferred tourist destination this festive season.

What are the tourist attractions in the city that delegates can visit during the conference?
Mangaung has several tourist attractions which are part of the Batho Heritage Route, which boosts several attractions, including Naval Hill, where people will be able to view the statue of President Nelson Mandela that was recently unveiled.

People can also visit the Wesleyan School in Fort Street, Waaihoek. This building is believed to have been the founding venue of the African National Congress (ANC) in 1912. They can also visit the Mapikela House; house number 1473 in Makgothi Street. The house is also known as “Ulundi Khaya” and it served as the venue for many ANC executive council meetings in the 1930’s and 1940’s.

There is also the Caleb Motshabi Hall at the corner of African and Rubusana streets. This facility, previously known as the Bantu High Social Institute (BSI) and YMCA, was the first of its kind to be built for Africans in Mangaung. It was used for sports and recreational purposes.

The Magasa Hall; number 1617 in Rubusana street was built in 1978 and was mostly used for social events. The St John’s Methodist Church, no 1163 Ngcayiya Street is the foundation stone; this church was laid on 5 May 1946.
During the apartheid years, political meetings were held here. We also have a number of monumental buildings such as the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA); the Fourth Raadzaal, which is the seat of the provincial legislature; the National Museum, as well as a diversity of places of amusement in the Mangaung township.

Is the city planning to host any other major events in the future?
Yes, the city is currently planning and also making endeavours to host even bigger events than the previous and current ones. Mangaung remains ready and available for major events, as you will remember that we successfully hosted the FIFA Confederations Cup and World Cup matches in 2009 and 2010, respectively; and the city is already the home to the famous and popular cultural festival; Macufe.

There is a huge demand for major activities because of the conducive environment of the city; many visitors have declared Mangaung their city of choice for events and as such, we are trying hard to meet this demand.

What have been the major achievements of the municipality since it was declared a Metro?
Key infrastructure projects have been completed and some are still in progress. Examples are the upgrading of major roads; the construction of additional reservoirs to increase water supply, as well as electrification of newly established settlements.

The city’s governance has also been stabilised and that has improved service delivery. Heads of the city departments have been appointed and most of the critical posts are filled. This has increased the required human capacity to deliver services to the people of Mangaung.

What benefits does the municipality offer to foreign businesses that want to invest in the city?
The city is currently embarking on major developments, wherein investors can find opportunities to invest. There are investment opportunities in the upcoming industrial developments around the airport as well as two residential developments, which will take place in Cecilia Park and Brandkop.

What message does the honourable executive mayor have for delegates visiting the conference as well as residents of Mangaung?
All visitors and citizens of Mangaung must enjoy their stay during the conference as we have created a safe and welcoming environment for them. All road users must obey the rules of the road; no drinking and driving.
Our law enforcement officers will be on high alert to deal with those who break the law. We shall apply zero tolerance to acts of crime and disorder.

This is the time to enjoy and celebrate one of the history-making moments as we conclude the centenary year of the ANC, and as such, we expect high levels of discipline.