"I always work for unity in the ANC," said the former regional chairperson of the ANC in Vhembe, Mr Philemon Mdaka.

Mdaka, who was regional chairperson of the ANC for three terms and a former executive mayor of the Vhembe District Municipality, reacted to a report in last week’s edition of Limpopo Mirror regarding the recent elective conference of the ANC.

In the report it was stated that Mdaka is a former member of Ximoko xa Rixaka and an anonymous source accused him of “causing division in the party through his tribalistic leadership style.”

Mdaka vehemently denied that he was ever a member of Ximoko and said the aim of the report was to tarnish his image and his history. “How can I promote tribalism if I was never part of the bantustan system? My record shows that I was always loyal towards the party and that I work tireless for development in the Vhembe area,” he added.