MAKHADO (LOUIS TRICHARDT) – The Makhado Municipal Council, during its quarterly meeting last week, unanimously allocated R12 000 of taxpayers’ money to the erection of a monument in honour of a municipal worker who died from a bullet wound he received while he was part of a crowd of strikers, involved in a vicious physical attack on the municipality’s erstwhile acting municipal manager, Mr Wilson Nkuna.

The attack on Mr Nkuna occurred while he and two other senior officials tried to address the grievances of striking workers, who gathered outside the municipal offices. The gathering followed a march through town, during which rubbish bins were overturned and litter was strewn. The march and strike were part of a nationwide South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) strike over a wage dispute in 2002.

The next moment, Mr Nkuna was attacked by striking workers. He produced a firearm and fired into the crowd, wounding three people. The three wounded men and a bloodied Mr Nkuna were rushed to hospital, where one of the wounded, Mr T P Davhana, died.

According to a court finding, the bullets were fired in self-defence by Mr Nkuna, because his life was seriously threatened and directly endangered in the vicious attack. He suffered serious injuries and had to be admitted to hospital. His career is at present in the balance, with the possibility of his services’ being terminated due to health reasons.

Council last week unanimously agreed with an Executive Committee recommendation which stated that Davhana had died “in the line of duty”.

Under the same item, the Makhado Municipal Exco recommended that all those who have died from HIV/AIDS-related diseases “in the line of duty” should similarly be honoured.

Council’s decision to contribute R12 000 for the construction of the monument in the municipal park in front of the municipal buildings, came in response to a request for financial assistance by the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (SAMWU) for the construction of a monument in memory of the late Mr Ticky Phillip Davhana.

According to the Exco recommendation, the monument was erected at a place and a spot identified in consultation with the leadership of SAMWU. Exco also recommended that quotations be called, in consultation with SAMWU, for the service providers to construct the monument.

Members of SAMWU were granted permission to commemorate, during office hours on 15 July, the passing away of Mr Davhana.

Although the Exco recommendation only served before Council last week, the monument is already in place. An inscription states that the monument was made possible by SAMWU and Makhado Municipality.