Checked 27 October 2026
Where the facts in this claim come from
Every fact on the claim page, with the sources we used. We save a copy of each source on the day we read it.
What does the evidence show?
Why it is Verified
Treasury held the payment back because it said the metro kept breaking the law on managing council money. Treasury's own statement names the metro and gives this reason. Daily Maverick reported on 28 July that the metro had still not met Treasury's terms. The R1.3 billion and R498 million figures come from Mangaung's deputy mayor, who also leads its finances.
National Treasury. Published 7 July 2026.
Where to look: Page 1 of 3: paragraph 1 (temporarily withholding the July 2026 equitable share transfers 'following persistent and serious non-compliance with the Municipal Finance Management Act'); paragraph 2 ('Free State - Mangaung, Letsemeng, ...'; 69 municipalities in all). Page 3: transfers resume once conditions are met; 'Date: 07 July 2026'
Daily Maverick. Published 28 July 2026.
Where to look: Paragraphs 1-2 (Treasury decided to release the funds, citing service delivery); paragraph 6 ('Two of the country's metros, Nelson Mandela Bay and Mangaung, were singled out as municipalities that had still not complied with Treasury's demands'); paragraph 17 (20 municipalities already had their full share; the other 49 would get partial or full allocations on Friday, including 28 that had not complied and had received nothing). Paragraph 1 is the first body paragraph after the standfirst.
OFM. Published 9 July 2026.
Where to look: Paragraph 2 (Free State municipalities affected include Mangaung); paragraph 3 (69 municipalities nationally); the paragraph after the subheading 'The administration is busy now as we speak trying to comply to the letter of the National Treasury' (paragraph 12 counting the two subheadings): 'Deputy mayor and Mangaung Treasury MMC Lulama Titi-Odili revealed the metro expects to receive R1.3bn in equitable share allocations, but R498m has already been withheld.' Paragraph 1 is the first paragraph after the byline.
What did the council do, and when?
Who ran the council
Mayor: Gregory Nthatisi (ANC). Council run by ANC. From Apr 2023 to present.
OFM. Published 26 April 2023.
Where to look: Paragraphs 1-2 (ANC councillor Gregory Nthatisi elected acting executive mayor after the High Court interdicted AASD president Papi Mokoena); paragraph 9 (council sat on Tuesday 25 April 2023)
The Citizen. Published 26 April 2023.
Where to look: Paragraph 3 (elected acting mayor with 50 of the 93 votes cast in a secret ballot at a special council sitting); paragraph 2 (court interdict set aside Mokoena's election)
BloemNews Express. Published 26 October 2023.
Where to look: Article body paragraph 1 ('The ANC is back in the troika positions in the Mangaung Metro after an election held on Friday, 13 October'); paragraph 2 ('The newly-elected executive mayor, Gregory Nthatisi')
OFM. Published 24 October 2025.
Where to look: Paragraph 8 ('Nthatisi, who was elected as mayor in 2023 with the support of the ANC and its coalition partners, including the African Transformation Movement')
Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality. Published 29 January 2026.
Where to look: Printed page 11 (PDF page 16), section on political governance: '1) Executive Mayor: Councillor Gregory Mosala Solomon Nthatisi'
Auditor-General of South Africa. Published 28 April 2026.
Where to look: Slide 8 (PDF page 8), 'Insights on national intervention': provincial administration under section 139(5) from 1 January 2020 to 25 April 2022, national intervention under section 139(7) from 26 April 2022; still in the rescue phase of the financial recovery plan at 30 June 2025
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