It seems if the days of Vhembe's political management team (PMT), comprising Messrs Tshitereke Matibe (executive mayor) and Tshifhiwa Dali (Chief Whip) and Ms Mavuyisa Fungheni (Speaker) are numbered.

More than a month has passed since striking SAMWU Vhembe members have resolved to down tools and vowed that they would not go back to work unless the PMT was booted out. The MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlement and Traditional Affairs, Ms Makoma Makhurupetje, was called on Tuesday to try to calm the situation. After serious discussions with members of the management of SAMWU, the negotiations are still in a deadlock.

“We are accusing the executive mayor, Speaker and Chief Whip of stealing the municipality's funds and that they have left the municipality bankrupt. We are worried because corruption is killing service delivery. If they are not prepared to go, services will not reach our communities,” said the provincial secretary of SAMWU, Mr Cromwell Nhemo.

Nhemo addressed hundreds of SAMWU Vhembe members in Thohoyandou Square, just outside the former parliamentary buildings on Tuesday. He emphasised that workers will not go back to work, "unless the political management team is booted out of the district municipality buildings".

The striking workers were chanting outside the offices of the district municipality, singing songs such as Run Matibe, Dali and Fungheni run and Masipala wa Vhembe u wile.

The troubled Vhembe District Municipality has received a disclaimer audit report for three years in succession and in the 2014/15 financial year, the district was regarded as one of the “worst performing” municipalities, with poor financial management and maladministration.

Nhemo confirmed that, in the day-long meeting with MEC Makhurupetje on Tuesday, SAMWU management members could not reach agreement with her and they resolved to continue with the strike.

The executive mayor, Tshitereke Matibe, said he could not comment on the issue of his political management team’s being removed because the matter was being dealt with by MEC Makhurupetje.