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Residents from the three villages march to the Thulamela Municipality's offices.

“No proper service, no votes anymore”

 

Angry residents from three villages under the Mulenzhe traditional authority have vowed to withdraw their votes for the ruling party if their demands for roads, water and electricity were not met.

This transpired last week during a march by residents of Tambaulate, Tshitomboni and Dididi outside Thohoyandou. Singing political slogans and anti-Thulamela municipality songs, they walked from their villages to Thohoyandou some kilometres away.

They handed a memorandum of their grievances to the head of the housing and electricity portfolio of the Thulamela Municipality, Cllr Matodzi Netshifhefhe. Central to their demands are water, electricity and roads which are not up to the expectations of the community.

Representing the communities, and the convener of the march, Mr Peter Mathalise said they had been engaging the municipality about water, but all they got were promises that were never fulfilled. “We live on the banks of the Nandoni Dam and people from afar are now drinking water from this dam, while we have to walk kilometres to get water. The other thing that is giving us a headache is the provision of electricity. They promised to refund us for the partnership money we had paid, which they are now failing to do."

He  further said the other burning issue was the road from Hollywood to Gumbani, which they want tarred. “This is a very busy road that tourists use to travel to Nandoni. We have been in constant engagement with the municipality since 2006 and all the time we are told it will be prioritized, but when the time comes, nothing happens."

He mentioned that they were tired of "empty promises and we are now giving the municipality seven working days. If no positive response is forthcoming, we will take the matter further to the higher authorities."

Receiving the memorandum, Clllr Matodzi Netshifhefhe promised the marchers that their memorandum would be responded to within the stipulated seven days.

News - Date: 24 July 2015

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Sanco's Peter Mathalise signs the memorandum before handing it over to Cllr Matodzi Netshifhefhe. Witnessing the signing is the Dididi Sanco leader, Mr Reckson Rasiwela (right)

 

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Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.

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