Disgruntled ANC members in the Vhembe region are calling for the resignation of their current chairperson and Vhembe district mayor, Cllr Falaza Mdaka, as well as his executive committee.

One of the accusations levelled against Mdaka is that he employed the Vhembe region’s secretary of the ANC Youth League, Percy Mashimbi, whose name was not on the list as PR Councillor in the Vhembe District. This was allegedly done because Mashimbi is in the same political camp as Mdaka.

The disgruntled ANC members call themselves the Young Lions and are pushing for Mr Moses Tseli, the former Chief whip of the Makhado Municipality and current Manager of Special Programmes in the Department of Economics Development, Environment and Tourism, to be appointed as the new chairperson, with Faith Chauke as the deputy. They also feel that Makonde Mathivha must be their secretary and Mapulanka Baloyi the deputy-secretary. Prince Phandavhudzi is their choice as new treasurer.

Falaza Mdaka was appointed as chairperson in the office in 2006 and was apparently supposed to serve until December 2008. The reshuffling was postponed to February 2009, but nothing happened as the ANC structures were preparing for the April 22 elections. “Now, people are expecting changes in September this year,” said a reliable source.

The Young Lions blame Mdaka for employing people who are “in his camp”. He is also blamed for the suspension of the former Makhado municipal manager, Ms Faith Muthambi, without valid reason. When former mayor Glory Mashaba was recalled, Mdaka allegedly wanted to deploy his own candidate, but the Provincial ANC committee (Frans Mohlala House) denied this request and deployed Mavhungu Luruli as the new mayor of the Makhado Municipality.

“We don’t need him (Mdaka) for a third term, he must go. Come September, we are going to recall Mdaka,” said one of the Young Lions.

Mdaka this week denied the accusations of nepotism and that he had deployed Percy Mashimbi. He said that he is not allowed to deploy people and his job is to render a service to the community.

Percy Mashimbi and Ester Tshikovhi were deployed by the Provincial Executive Council (PEC), because the Women’s League and the Youth League were not represented and requested the PEC to deploy their representative, Mdaka said. He stated that Percy Mashimbi’s name was on the PR list. He accused the people who make all the accusations of being jealous of what he has managed to achieve. “If people are not satisfied with my performance, they are welcome to recall me,” he said.