By 
BLOEMFONTEIN — The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality is demanding immediate accountability from the ANC-led administration over a combined R37.8 million financial commitment to the Bloemfontein Zoo, a facility that remains firmly shuttered despite a year of grand promises.
In a searing statement released on Monday, DA Councillor Dirk Kotze accused the municipality of keeping residents in the dark, noting that an oversight inspection revealed zero animals, no visible progress, and no sign of the extensive redevelopment promised by the city’s executive.
A History of Broken Promises
The saga began on 28 March 2025, when then Finance MMC Logan Kruger announced an R8.8 million budget allocation to upgrade the zoo. Shortly after, Council rescinded a 2013 decision to relocate the facility, opting instead to reopen it at its current location. The move enjoyed broad support from a coalition of parties, including the ANC, EFF, and Patriotic Alliance, with Executive Mayor Gregory Nthatisi admitting past governance failures regarding the venue.
The financial pledges did not stop there. During his State of the City Address on 27 May 2025, Mayor Nthatisi doubled down, committing an additional R29 million over three years to redevelop and restore the zoo, touting it as an essential tourism and educational asset.
Yet, more than a year later, the DA maintains that the people of Mangaung have seen absolutely nothing for their money.
“The people of Mangaung deserve clear answers about what happened to the millions allocated for the Zoo,” Kotze stated, raising concerns that the funds are being diverted to other activities, including preparations for the upcoming 2026 Local Government Elections.
Demands for Transparency
The DA, which walked out of the initial 2025 council vote due to a lack of prescribed documentation and transparency regarding the zoo’s future, is now taking formal action. The party is demanding that the City Manager report directly to Council, and is requesting Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) representatives investigate the specific contracts awarded.
The opposition party has challenged the administration to answer four critical questions:
- How much of the R29 million commitment has already been spent?
- What specific upgrades have been completed?
- Which contractors were appointed, and what work were they assigned?
- What progress has been made towards reopening the Zoo?
Escalation Imminent
The DA has warned that if the municipality fails to provide satisfactory answers within a reasonable timeframe, they will escalate the matter to external oversight bodies, including the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) and the Auditor-General.
With local government elections on the horizon, the silence coming from the Bloemfontein Zoo’s empty enclosures is growing deafeningly loud for the ruling ANC administration.
