The Midoroni Sanco, Cllr Masindi Rasimphi (Ward 25), and some members from the community were locked in a long battle of words over the selection of suitable beneficiaries to receive RDP houses. The meeting was held last Thursday at Makhanani courtyard at Midoroni.

The Midoroni branch of Sanco, as well as community members, maintains that the first list was compiled by the community forum, which consisted of Sanco, the ward committee and traditional leaders. The community forum identified people whose living conditions suggested that they needed RDP houses. They then submitted the list to Cllr Rasimphi, who went to assess the situation of the selected persons.

“She said some of the people whose names appeared on the list didn't qualify, because they were still living in their parents' homes,” said traditional leader Mr Joseph Muthuvha. There are allegations that names were added to the original list through telephonic communication by some top members within the community forum on the night before the registration. Muthuvha denied these allegations and said that only the names of four people had been replaced by those who were found to be in dire need of an RDP house as their living conditions suggested so.

“It is my feeling that the community forum had fairly compiled the list at the end of day,” said Muthuvha. “But I am not sure if all those whose names were removed from the list are satisfied with the forum's decision,” he said.

Thabo Mamthubi, who has an empty stand, is currently living on his father's property where he works as a shopkeeper in a spaza shop. “As to how my name was removed, I cannot tell. It makes me sad, but let them have all those RDP houses for their relatives and friends. ”

Several persons whose names were on the list had to go to Tshikwarani to make photocopies of their identity books and had to have them certified at the Tshilwavhusiku police station some 21 km away, while the registration team from the Makhado Municipality and the Provincial Government and Housing department continued to help those around.

Midoroni Sanco chairperson Mr James Delekisa lambasted Cllr Rasimphi for her alleged failure to communicate with the community forum and inform residents on time that they should have certified copies of their IDs and those of their children ready.

“She must try to communicate important messages to the people effectively and timeously,” said Delekisa. “For instance, many people ended up not registering because they had no certified copies of their IDs ready. Information was not communicated to them on time. Some of these people work on farms.”

However, Rasimphi explained that all parties had agreed that no house would be built on an empty stand which somebody had quickly sought on learning about the RDP project. “People should understand that we can't leave out the poorest of the poor and recommend that an RDP house be built for someone who is presently living in a four-roomed house,” Rasimphi said.

“There are conditions where seven people are sharing a small structure of a house and whose present living conditions meet the standards required by the housing department for allocation of RDP houses. We feel that we have to prioritise those ones first.”