What should have been an ordinary question-and-answer session with the Makhado Municipality regarding continuous sewerage problems, turned into somewhat of a racial attack on residents of Louis Trichardt by a municipal official.

Racial slurs, aimed at white residents, were uttered by the municipality’s Director of Technical Services, Mr Thivho Ralulimi, when he was questioned about sewerage spillage.

The Zoutpansberger paid Mr Ralulimi a visit on Monday, when he didn’t respond to a previous e-mail from the newspaper regarding sewerage problems.

During the meeting a sewerage spillage on the corner of Pieter Otto and Anderson Streets was discussed. For Ralulimi it did not take long to play the race card. After he was informed about the dilemma, Ralulimi dismissed it by saying that white residents are telling lies about sewerage and water problems to make the municipality look bad.

“Let me be a racist - a little bit. I have got nothing against whites who stay in town. But what makes me sometimes annoyed is the way they want to ... they perceive this municipality. Because it is a municipality run by blacks ... They have this attitude to say that since the black administration of this municipality, service delivery is going down,” Ralulimi said.

Ralulimi further accused the Zoutpansberger of being a mouthpiece of the ratepayers association and its reporter as being biased.

"And you check, there is no ... other newspaper that writes bad about this municipality, except the Zoutpansberger newspaper," Ralulimi said.

“This one is week in and week out. It´s like this Zoutpansberger newspaper ... to me I consider your newspaper as a mouthpiece of (the) ratepayers association," Ralulimi added. He then asked why the newspaper only targets the "former whites owned" towns.

"That´s why I´m saying, this newspaper, the Zoutpansberger, is a mouthpiece of the ratepayers association," Ralulimi reiterated. When asked if he has a problem with the Ratepayers Association, Ralulimi said: "No, I have got nothing against them ... my only problem is their attitude towards the municipality. You see, all the ratepayers association’s, not only for Louis Trichardt, they´ve got this belief ... because now the municipality ... is in the hand of blacks, service level standard(s) will then deteriorate.”

Following the meeting, municipal spokesperson, Mr Louis Bobodi, was asked to comment whether or not it was acceptable for a municipal official to make racially tainted remarks towards the community he or she is supposed to serve.

Another meeting was arranged between Ralulimi, Bobodi and the newspaper on Tuesday morning.

During this meeting, Ralulimi vigorously denied ever making any racial remarks, despite the fact that the newspaper has the conversation on record. He justified himself by saying that he merely asked questions about the ratepayers association and never made any racist comments.

Bobodi was provided with notes on the conversation, to which Ralulimi responded: “This is not what I´ve said!" He continued by saying: “... listening is a skill. You could understand it the way you want – and you can keep it the way you want".

As for the Zoutpansberger being a "mouthpiece for the ratepayers association", the newspaper put it on record during Tuesday´s meeting that it took exception to Ralulimi´s remarks.

"The Zoutpansberger is not a mouthpiece for any organisation ... the news we cover is for all communities. It is not only for white people and it is not only white people who read the Zoutpansberger," Mr Andries van Zyl, news editor, told Bobodi and Ralulimi.

When again asked to respond to the racial comments he made the previous day, Ralulimi again denied making any such comments.

"I did not make comments, I asked questions," Ralulimi said. When his words were read back to him, Ralulimi responded by asking if the newspaper can proof whether it was what he had said.

"That is not what I said. You are quoting me out of context," Ralulimi said. When then asked to repeat what he had said the previous day, Ralulimi remarked: “I can’t repeat what I’ve said. I told you what I asked her, and I don’t think this is a court".

In the mean time, the local office of the DA is also at loggerheads with Ralulimi with regard to what they deem his “arrogant attitude towards the public”.

According to Cllr Brain du Plooy, Ralulimi went against the Access of Information Act by refusing to give out any information.

“He has ordered municipal officials and workers not to talk to me. They aren’t even allowed to greet me,” Du Plooy said.

It was this proverbial straw that broke the camel´s back, forcing the DA to lodge a complaint with municipal manager, Mr Shadrack Tshikalange, as well as the major, Cllr Mavhungu Luruli. If they do not respond in seven days, the matter will be taken up with the MEC.

Ralulimi responded by saying that Du Plooy is a mere councillor, not an administrator.

“If a councillor wants information he must go to my portfolio head,” Ralulimi said.