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
Unauthorised means R1.36 billion was spent over the budget the council approved. Irregular spending broke the spending rules. Fruitless and wasteful spending bought nothing and could have been avoided. It included R62 million in interest on bills paid late in 2024-25. The Auditor-General says the metro did not have the money to pay on time. The Auditor-General's report also gives totals for the four years from 2021-22 to 2024-25. Unauthorised spending came to R4.92 billion, irregular spending to R0.92 billion, and fruitless and wasteful spending to R0.37 billion. The yearly figures are for the metro and Centlec, its electricity company, together. The report does not say if its four-year totals include Centlec.
Auditor-General of South Africa. Published 28 April 2026.
Where to look: Slide 7 (PDF page 7), table at bottom left: row 2024-25 'R1,36bn' unauthorised, 'R324m' irregular, 'R67m' fruitless and wasteful (2023-24: R1,81bn, R277m, R130m; 2022-23: R1,35bn, R198m, R190m). Slide 8: interest paid on late payments R61 982 962 (2023-24: R26 809 763)
Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality. Published 29 January 2026.
Where to look: Chapter 6, Auditor-General's report, printed page 118 (PDF page 123), paragraph 19 ('unauthorised expenditure of R1 355 234 916 (2024: R1 811 858 259) was incurred, due to overspending of the budget') and paragraph 20 ('irregular expenditure of R323 866 758 (2024: R277 415 011)')
Auditor-General of South Africa. Published 24 June 2026.
Where to look: Printed page 208 (PDF page 212), Mangaung dashboard: 'Unauthorised expenditure over administration R4,92bn (4 years)'; 'Irregular expenditure over administration R0,92bn (4 years)'; 'Fruitless and wasteful expenditure over administration R0,37bn (4 years)'. 'Over administration' is the four years 2021-22 to 2024-25 (printed page 59, PDF page 63, chart 'Fruitless and wasteful expenditure incurred for municipalities over administration').
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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