Residents of the Vuwani area have vowed to ensure that Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) registration will not take place as scheduled this weekend in their area.

Community members in the area are currently in disagreement with the government over the Municipal Demarcation Board's decision to incorporate their area into a new municipality, which will include Malamulele.

The community structures and the IEC failed to reach an agreement at Vuwani last weekend. A spokesperson for the Pro Makhado Task Team, Mr Arnold Mulaudzi, said that they had agreed with community members that those who had funerals this week should bury their relatives on Thursday and Friday "as we will have a total shutdown from Friday (today) until Monday".

The residents have vowed to disrupt businesses and government services to prevent IEC officials from operating in the area.

However, the IEC manager for Limpopo, Mr Nkaro Matete, said voter registration this weekend must go ahead. "The voting stations have to operate over the weekend as per arrangement that all voting station have to open throughout the Republic of South Africa. We are in discussion with the leadership and traditional leaders of Vuwani and we hope we will find a solution before the end of the week."