LIMPOPO – Chaos erupted when residents of three villages in Ward 24 of the Makhado Municipality recently accused their ward councillor, Muhali Makwala of selling jobs and hiring people without involving the local community.
Residents of Madabani, Madodonga and Muduluni claim that Makwala hired members of the ward committee, who are already being paid by the municipality, to work on the renovation of the Vhuilafuri Stadium, situated between Madabani and Madodonga.
The project started in October and is expected to be finished by September next year.
Furious residents went to the stadium in protest on November 10 to stop those who had been hired by Makwala from working.
One of the community members, Agreement Rasetjie, demanded that the councillor remove the people he had reportedly hired.
“We have a list of all the people who were employed by the councillor. All we want is that those who were employed in a corrupt way be replaced by people who are legitimately chosen, following the people’s will,” he said.
He added the people had passed a vote of no confidence in the councillor.
“We are going to march to the Makhado Municipality for his removal, come the end of November.”
Another community member, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of victimisation, said they had time and again asked to meet their ward councillor, with no success.
“We are left with no option but to call for his removal. Makhado Mayor Samuel Munyai must come and repeat what he said about employing locals for every project that comes here, because we are being bullied.”
Contacted for comment, Makwala denied that ward committee members had been hired for the project.
He said recommendations as to who should be hired were made by the local traditional council.
CV sent an enquiry to Makhado Municipality spokesperson Louis Bobodi but at the time of going to print, comment from the municipal manager was still awaited.
