The Awelani Eco-tourism Lodge is at loggerheads with the Vhembe District Municipality (VDM) after the VDM allegedly instructed Eskom to disconnect the electricity to the lodge.

The spokesperson for the lodge, Calvin Munzhelele, said the municipality had instructed Eskom to disconnect the power because the community refused to grant VDM a 10% stake in the project. According to him, the community of Masisi is being denied financial benefits which it can derive from running this lodge properly.

“This multi-million-rand park and lodge, covering over 1 700 hectares, was given to the Masisi community in Limpopo as part of the government’s land redistribution process. It currently has 40 employees. Now, with the Vhembe District Municipality’s actions, this project stands to collapse,” he said. “Awelani Eco-tourism cannot get a direct connection from Eskom as the account is held by VDM," he said.

According to Munzhelele, the land redistribution process is meant to benefit the communities, and it is not meant as a revenue scheme for municipalities. "It is communities and its people and not government entities that are land reform beneficiaries,” he said.

The spokesperson for Eskom in Thohoyandou, Thiofhi Ratshitanga, said he could not comment about Awelani Lodge’s account. He said Eskom switched off the supply after receiving an instruction from the municipality. "Awelani Lodge's management should go and talk to the municipality as the account holder,” said Ratshitanga.

The Democratic Alliance's Limpopo leader, Jacques Smalle, said they fully supported the land reform process, especially when it uplifted the communities. He said the Awelani Eco-tourism project was one of those projects that should be supported. According to Smalle, the project has the potential to thrive and employ more people. “We urge Local Government MEC Ishmael Kgejepe to intervene in order to ensure that the VDM desists from its heavy-handedness in dealing with this community. An amicable solution must be arrived at,” said Smalle.

The spokesperson for the VDM, Matodzi Ralushai, said the matter was in the Thohoyandou High court now. He said that the lodge belonged to the municipality. Ralushai denied that the municipality had instructed Eskom to cut the electricity.