THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN: Premier calls for people-centred budgeting, job creation and accelerated service delivery.
Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae has called on members of the Free State Executive Council (EXCO) and senior government officials to place residents at the centre of government planning and budget allocations, emphasising that public resources must translate into tangible improvements in people’s lives.
Opening the 2026 Mid-term Planning and Budget Lekgotla on Tuesday, 10 November 2026, at OR Tambo House in Bloemfontein, the Premier, accompanied by the Director-General of the Free State Provincial Government, Dr Molefinyana Phera, and MEC for Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, Ketso Makume, delivered a strong message to senior government leadership: government must respond decisively to the needs and expectations of the people.
Addressing a packed 8th-floor EXCO Chambers, Premier Letsoha-Mathae said the outcomes of the Local Government Elections (LGE) carried an important message that government could not afford to ignore. She described the electoral outcomes as a call to action for government to intensify efforts towards accelerating service delivery, creating employment opportunities, supporting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and prioritising infrastructure development as a catalyst for economic growth and job creation.
Against the backdrop of the province’s modest economic growth of approximately 1%, the Premier stressed the importance of strategic, responsible and impactful resource allocation. She further called on all departments to urgently advertise funded vacant posts to strengthen institutional capacity and improve service delivery.
“We cannot be comfortable in our offices whilst the rest of our communities linger in poverty and unemployment. Let us all remember where we come from. Let us do unto others as we, at some point when we were unemployed, wished others would do unto us,” said Premier Letsoha-Mathae.
The Premier expressed concern over delays in filling vacant funded positions, calling on senior managers to demonstrate urgency and accountability in ensuring that available posts are advertised and filled.
She further emphasised that government programmes and budget allocations must produce measurable benefits for communities, rather than merely reflecting expenditure on paper.
“Funds must mean jobs for the unemployed, state-of-the-art road networks that ignite the economy and attract investment. Finished projects must mean new houses, access to health services and safer communities,” she emphasised.
In his address, MEC Ketso Makume outlined the province’s constrained fiscal outlook, highlighting the need for disciplined financial management and the strategic prioritisation of available resources.
Echoing the Premier’s call for people-centred budgeting, MEC Makume stressed that departments must strengthen planning, align expenditure with provincial priorities and improve performance assessment to ensure that every rand spent delivers meaningful value.
“Geopolitical factors are having a profound effect on domestic affairs, with relatively negative effects on the cost of living. Therefore, we must strengthen strategic planning and performance assessment. We must ensure that expenditure results in infrastructure development, jobs, business successes and better living conditions for our people,” said MEC Makume.
The Lekgotla also underlined the urgent need to strengthen support for municipalities, recognising that effective and functional local government remains central to improving service delivery and addressing the everyday challenges confronting communities.
The discussions reaffirmed the provincial government’s responsibility to ensure that planning, budgeting and implementation are firmly aligned with the aspirations of Free State residents.
The overarching message of the Lekgotla was clear: government budgets must go beyond financial allocations and become instruments for meaningful change, economic transformation, job creation and improved living conditions.