Vuwani task team to meet President Zuma
The Malamulele Task Team is under pressure by the community to meet the president about his decision that certain wards in Vuwani be serviced in the Vhembe district.
LIMPOPO – Communities of Malamulele, Giyani, Hlanganani, and Pfukani have given the task team two weeks to meet with President Jacob Zuma. The decision came after a two-day meeting in Giyani at Malamulele gymnasium, where various va-Tsonga stakeholders met to discuss what they call ‘promotion of tribalism’ by the president.
Chairperson of the meeting, Noel Manganyi, had a difficult time to keep the tempers under control after the report of what happened during Zuma’s recent visit to Vuwani had been presented to them by the Malamulele Task Team Secretary, Dr Jan Nkuna. Many accused Zuma of dismissing both sides of the concerned community when he ruled that Vuwani would receive its services in the Vhembe district, a decision which not only effectively separates va-Venda from va-Tsonga in the area, but is seen as a win for certain individuals who did not want to be under a municipality that was ruled by va-Tsonga.
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While the main discussion was centered on Zuma’s decision to have some wards in Vuwani serviced in Vhembe, the district itself was not spared from criticism as several speakers accused it of being biased towards va-Venda.
During the meeting several resolutions were taken, among which was that no project should be constructed by the Vhembe District Municipality in Vuwani without the engagement of the LIM345 Municipality Council, and that the Lim345 Municipality should not pass any resolution that would see some wards in Vuwani receive their services in Vhembe. In other resolutions, the community wants the president to retract his decision. They also want him to come back to address all stakeholders of LIM345 including the Pro-Makhado Task Team and va-Venda king, Tony Mphephu Ramabulana.
The task team has therefore been given two weeks to meet the president and voice the community’s grievances in person. If this does not help, there are unconfirmed threats of all-out boycott of Vhembe district in favour of Mopani district which is seen as neutral in terms of tribalism.
