The Makhado municipal manager's contract is expiring today (Friday).

Members of the South African Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) say they are more than happy that Mr Shadrack Tshikalange is vacating the top position, because he had failed them.

The chairperson of Samwu at the municipality, Mr Elvis Tlou, said that he felt happy that the contract had expired, "because the man never changed anything at the municipality. Challenges that we faced before he joined the municipality remained unsolved," he added.

He mentioned that Samwu believed that the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, in consultation with the political component, would send someone from "outside" the institution. "We do not want anyone of the directors to act in the position. We need somebody who is capable in the post," said Tlou.

He alleges that Tshikalange practiced nepotism when making appointments. "There are internal workers who had gone for interviews, but even today they have not been appointed. When we asked him, he said he was still applying his mind. We do not know if he is still waiting for approval from his mind or not, because his contract has now expired," added Tlou.

"If one does not have a relative working in the municipality at top-management level, it is difficult for that person to be appointed, no matter how good you are in your job," Tlou said.

He alleges that a relative of the mayor, Ms Elisa Ramaligela, had assaulted a co-worker and was never taken to a disciplinary hearing. "It was not the first time. She also had an accident with a TLB, but nothing happened. She was never tested, but she still drives the front-end loader. She also vandalised graves with the TLB," said Tlou.

"The municipal manager is an accounting officer, but Tshikalange never took any responsibility in his duties. He always told us that he would first consult the mayor when taking desicions. Workers do not even have tools to work with. His contract must never be renewed," said the deputy chairperson of Samwu, Mr Khwathelani Murovhi.

The spokesperson for the Makhado Municipality, Mr Louis Bobodi, confirmed that Tshikalange had vacated the municipality's top position. He also said that the position would soon be advertised.