The executive council of the Vhembe district Municipality suspended its executive mayor, Cllr Irene Mutsila, for 30 days, during an urgent special council meeting held at the municipal chambers last Thursday.

Mirror understands that Mutsila was suspended after she had appointed Mr Joseph Silinda as the municipal manager of the district municipality, without consulting the council, which is the highest decision-making body. The Municipal Systems Act dictates that a person is not eligible to become an official if he/she holds office as a councilor of any municipality and it is alleged that Silinda tendered his resignation as a councilor before applying for the top position with lucrative incentives.

Shortly after his appointment, an urgent special council meeting, spearheaded by the Speaker of the district municipality, Cllr Suzan Sibiya, and the Chief Whip, Cllr Patrick Sikhutshi, was held and that was where a resolution to remove Silinda was taken.

Silinda once served as a committee member of the Venda Pensioner´s Forum, now the Daba lo Rivhuwa Patriotric Front, a councilor and the provincial chairperson of the Pan African Congress of Azania at the district municipality.

Cllr Jabhi Ligege said that most ANC members usually disowned Silinda as they claimed that they did not know him at the ANC. According to Ligege, Silinda is viewed by ANC members at the district municipality as a "bantustan politician".

"As the PAC, we are worried that the more the ANC members continue to embark on decisive power struggles, the more efficient service delivery will be seriously hindered. Voters should view this as a learning curve that they have entrusted their trust to the wrong people," he said.

A member of the governing ANC in Vhembe, who holds a top position, said: "Do you think Silinda has relevant skills? The issue of the appointment of the municipal manager rests in the hands of the executive council and there was no way the mayor could formalise the appointment of the municipal manager alone."

Realising that his future was hanging in the balance, Silinda took the legal route by lodging an urgent application to be reinstated and to be paid all the lucrative benefits at the Thohoyandou High Court.

Mirror also learnt that in Silinda´s application, the suspended executive mayor is the first respondent, while the executive council is the second respondent. The MEC for Housing and Local Government, Ms Maite Nkoana Mashabane, is reported to be the third respondent.

The former mayor of Musina Local Municipality, Alderman David Phologa, is currently acting as the executive mayor of the Vhembe district municipality.