The community of the Thikonelo area are distancing themselves from the demands made by the Malamulele community and the surrounding areas for their own municipality.

Following a wildcat strike that left some shops burnt and looted, together with government offices and cars damaged in Malamulele last week, Thovhele Nngwedzeni Alfred Mphaphuli and Headman Simon Mphaphuli, who is a traditional leader for Lombard under Tshikonelo, called a community meeting for the thirteen villages under Tshikonelo where they discussed their position on the whole saga.

During the meeting, which was held on Saturday morning, under the watchful eye of police officers from the Tshaulu police station, the community resolved that they do not want to be part of the struggle for a new municipality.

Headman Mphaphuli said that they had decided to have a meeting to discuss their stand after realizing “that we are being isolated by the Malamulele task team. The task team had never consulted us or our chief.  They never invited us for their meetings. When they protest, they also come into our villages and disrupt schooling and health services. They also blocked our roads. To us, this is not a good way to protest as we are destroying our children’s future,” said Mphaphuli.

He also added that the community of Tshikonelo “does not want to be part of the new municipality. We are happy with Thulamela Municipality. There is a project of supplying water and our roads are being maintained. This is better when we compare with the service we were getting from the then Levubu-Xingwedzi Transitional Local Council,” he added.

He mentioned that they were not against the demand made by the Malamulele task team for their municipality. “Whether they succeed or not, we do not care. They must not involve us in their struggle,” he stated.

“I have had enough about the whole struggle for the new municipality.  These people are using us. When this thing started, they claimed we were together.  But today they meet without involving me or my community. I want nothing to do with them.  My people and I are happy with Thulamela and we must be left alone,” Thovhele Mphaphuli said angrily.

As part of the resolutions taken during the meeting, the community have agreed that bar lounges and bottle stores in the area must close at 17:00 every day.

Mr Ndivhuwo Ramabulana (30) from Tshikonelo, however, supported the struggle for another municipality but stated that it must be done in a civilized manner. “They must not damage property as it will take us backward in terms of infrastructure development.”