MALAMULELE - The deputy President of the Azanian People's Organization (Azapo), Mr Pandelani Nefolovhodwe, has called upon the government to deliver the services to the rural communities.

Nefolovhodwe said he had witnessed the lack of service when he visited the traditional leaders in the areas of Malamulele and Venda from last week Monday until Friday.

During his visit, which started from Khubvi, Ha-Mhinga, Mphephu and Davhana, Nefolovhodwe, who is the only representative member of Azapo in the parliament, said he had realised that the present government had done nothing to develop the rural areas.

"I have established that they still have no water, roads and electricity in rural areas. Many of these people still travel long distances for health services and schooling. There are also no school facilities in the rural schools. I saw children in Mbokota and Elim walking long distance to school. Some still walk more than 10 kilometers a day for schooling: that is not good," said Nefolovhodwe who added that the government did not have a rural development plan.

Nemadziavhanani also complained that the many rural communities are not considered for the provision of houses because they owned mud houses, which he said they were dangerous to the people.

"Many of our people stay in mud houses, and when the government provides houses they do not consider them. They take these houses as real houses hence they are not reliable as they can collapse after any heavy rain," said Nefolovhodwe.

According to him, the Chiefs also complained about the issue of power-sharing between themselves, civic members and the councilors. He emphasised that according to Azapo, Chiefs should prosecute offenders in their kraals. He also said that Chiefs should establish what type of development was needed and they had to assign members of civic associations to approach council members to provide services.

Nefolovhodwe said the Chiefs had told him that they wanted to be responsible for running initiation schools as it had been done before. He said that in every area he visited Chiefs told him that they wanted to see the Ralushai Commission's report as part of the process of transparency in the democratic government.

Nefolovhodwe said Chiefs at Dzanani told him they wanted to see Dzata Day celebrated again as the pride of the Vhavenda. They also told him they wanted to see the development of the Dzata Ruins to attract tourists to the area.

Nefolovhodwe said he would approach Premier Ngoako Ramatlhodi and Min Sydney Mufamadi about the concerns he had received from the Chiefs. Nefolovhodwe also warned the Chiefs to be wary of politicians who only visit the people during election times.