LIMPOPO – Fifty young people from the South African Youth Council (SAYC) and members of the ANC Youth League in Thulamela marched to the offices of the Thulamela Municipality in Thohoyandou on August 10, where they demanded the immediate removal of the municipal manager.
Last month, Thulamela Mayor Avhashoni Tshifhango was dismissed from his position following instructions from the ANC Provincial Executive Committee (PEC). This followed a forensic report on the VBS Mutual Bank collapse, in which it was recommended that action be taken against all politicians and officials involved as investment in the bank constituted a breach of the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA).
“If the Thulamela Municipality is only going to issue a written warning to its municipal manager, we will demand the reinstatement of all mayors, municipal managers and chief financial managers who have had to face the consequences of investing in VBS. We will mobilise church leaders, communities and political activists to assist us in fighting corruption and maladministration,” said Gwede Mulovhedzi, ANC Youth League Thulamela sub-region coordinator. Mulovhedzi further threatened that protests would follow as the league could “no longer tolerate corruption at the municipality”.
A community leader in Thulamela, Rolani Masindi who also picketed for the removal of the municipal manager, said residents of Thulamela have taken the decision to clean up governance in the municipality as it is no longer rendering quality services to the people as promised. Masindi handed over the memorandum of their demands, to which the municipality has seven days to respond. A councillor, Tshimangadzo Malada received and signed the memorandum on behalf of the new mayor, Humbulani Mulovhedzi.
