LOUIS TRICHARDT – The Makhado Municipal Council has made available a generous amount of R15 000 to assist in the funeral arrangements of Mr Philip T Davhana, a SAMWU member, who was shot and killed in front of Council's offices on 15 July.

Mr Davhana died after the Acting Municipal Manager of the Makhado Municipality, Mr Wilson Nkuna, opened fire on a group of striking SAMWU members after being attacked by them. Mr Davhana was wounded in the stomach and shortly afterwards died in the Louis Trichardt Memorial Hospital.

In addition to the R15 000, Council is making available a vehicle to help transport the family during the funeral, as well as organising transport for Mr Davhana's colleagues. A tractor was also sent to help with the gathering of wood, as well as a grader to grade the gravel roads leading to the cemetery were Mr Davhana will be buried. Council also offered assistance in the form of buying electricity for the bereaved family.

A memorial service for Mr Davhana will be held at the community hall at Ravele Village on Friday (26th) at 14:00. He will be buried at Ramahantsha Village on Saturday (27th). The service will start at 07:00.

Council this week again expressed its condolences towards the relatives and friends of the deceased and injured municipal workers. In a statement, Council says it believes that now is the right time for all stakeholders, staff members and councillors, to join hand and unite more than ever before.

"It will be quite vital for us as a municipality to confine ourselves to the proper procedures of resolving disputes or problems ... our municipality is faced with great challenges ahead regarding service delivery and bettering the life of all our residents and also taking into account that we are faced with a key challenge of addressing social issues facing our residents. As a result it will not be easier for us to deliver the best standardized basic services to our communities through violence and fighting amongst ourselves," the statement reads.