When the executive mayor of the Mangaung Metro, Gregory Nthatisi, and his team appeared before parliament’s standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) to account for the “financial mess” in his municipality, his priority was to duck out of the meeting for “a smoke”.
It left a bitter taste in the mouth of Songezo Zibi, the leader of Rise Msanzi, who chairs Scopa, the public finances watchdog.
Mangaung, the Free State’s only metro municipality, had been ordered to appear before Scopa after the auditor-general last week presented a damning picture of its financial state following the 2024/25 audit process.
But when the crucial moment came to account for the financial chaos, the mayor prioritised his smoke break over accountability, leading to the meeting starting 20 minutes behind schedule.
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