The relatively small municipality of Musina is caught in the crossfire between two warring factions within the ANC. Both groups are hurling abuse at each other and calling for action, but while the fighting continues, the residents in the region are left without proper services.

The past month saw numerous disruptions, with the offices of the municipality being closed for days on end. Angry residents kept vigil at the entrances to the municipality, effectively shutting down the offices. They have vowed to occupy the gates until the municipal manager is removed.

Even the annual function to introduce the new budget was interrupted, with the ANC’s Chief Whip, Maemu Fistos Mafela, taking public swipes at the municipal manager and his officials. Residents were not allowed to enter the venue where the State of the Municipality address was being delivered. This caused a group of councillors to send a letter to the ANC regional executive committee, asking for urgent intervention and the removal of the Chief Whip.

In the “Nathi-must-fall” corner…

On 25 June, a memorandum was handed to the mayor, Godfrey Mawela. The memorandum was compiled by a group calling themselves “Khatuwe Roneta Community Forum,” which means “go, we are tired.” Their ire is aimed at the municipal manager, Mr Nathi Tshiwanammbi, whom they blame for many of the problems.

The five-page memorandum details allegations against Tshiwanammbi, starting with accusations that during his time as general manager for economic development and planning, he had sold municipal land to foreigners below market value and extorted fees from foreign-owned shops. As municipal manager, he is alleged to have awarded tenders to business associates and his wife without declaring conflicts of interest, inflated his own salary along with those of “unqualified managers” beyond legal limits for a municipality such as Musina, and engaged in other misconduct.

The Khatuwe Roneta Forum states that a fraud case has been opened with the police and that the Special Investigation Unit has been asked to investigate. They also demand that travel and subsistence allowances paid to councillors and some officials be investigated.

Their list of demands includes no electricity tariff increases this year, not using outstanding debt on water bills as an excuse to cut off electricity, and ensuring that when tenders are awarded, local businesses are included and that 30% of the work is subcontracted to local companies.

In the “Nathi-must-stay” corner…

In the letter to the ANC’s regional executive, signed by nine ANC members, much of the fracas currently playing out is blamed on the Chief Whip, Fistos Mafela.

“Comrade Mafela has … always been divisive, arrogant [and has] subjected members of caucus to emotional abuse and threats. He has interfered in administrative matters and now causes tensions in the branches of the ANC in the Sub-Region,” reads part of the letter.

The councillors question Mafela’s conduct, especially after his public attack on the municipal manager and officials. “This to us is very suspicious and to a certain extent gives credence to the allegations that the Chief Whip is working behind the scenes with the hooligans, causing disorder and instability in our institution.”

In the letter, Mafela is accused of interfering with the appointment of 28 general workers. He was also allegedly involved in an incident where a bus full of supporters was prevented from attending the inauguration of President Cyril Ramaphosa. The authors of the letter argue that he is the driver behind the current unrest in Musina.

“The municipality went to the High Court to obtain an interdict against the ringleaders of this group behind these illegal activities which caused serious disruptions, pain and suffering to the entire community of Musina,” the letter reads. A special virtual council meeting scheduled for 28 June was also allegedly boycotted and disrupted by Mafela and five other councillors.

“This is clearly a factional line drawn in the sand by the Chief Whip and his comrades-in-arms,” the letter reads. The act of boycotting such a meeting is described as “a very serious offence and borders on dereliction of duty.”

Community fed-up

While the factional fighting for power plays out, members of the community are fed-up with the corruption, the lack of service delivery, and the manner in which politicians are using the residents to achieve their selfish aims.

Local community leader Ms Geraldine Norton said the people of Musina were sick and tired of the corruption happening at the municipality. “We have serious concerns when it comes to the awarding of tenders, which is done in a corrupt way and awarded to family members and friends. Jobs are given to family members and friends. Since his (municipal manager’s) appointment more than five years ago, things have gone from bad to worse. We have seen the increase of electricity tariffs threefold and residents are being forced to pay for their back rooms,” she said.

Norton believes that the municipality is used as a tool for the political “mafias” to enrich themselves. “As residents, we are tired and we want Nathi gone,” she said.

The MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Mr Basikopo Makamu, visited the area last week in an effort to resolve the conflict. “He knows our situation very well and cooled us down by promising to look at our grievances and come up with a solution by Friday, 12 July,” said Norton. “If he comes with something unfavourable, we will be back on the streets and close down the municipality. We are prepared to escalate this to the highest office of the land,” she said.

A smear campaign

When the Chief Whip, Cllr Fistos Mafela, was asked for comment, he described it as a simple political smear campaign. He acknowledged having seen the letter sent to the ANC’s regional executive.

“My brother, we will soon be heading for the [ANC’s] conference in December. Now this is that time when people would do whatever possible to tarnish other people’s names for political gain. I mean the issue at Musina is about service delivery and things will normalise,” he said.

Attempts to draw comment from the Vhembe REC secretary, Mr Rudzani Ludere, drew a blank as his phone rang unanswered. Also, a WhatsApp message sent to him was not attended to.

On Wednesday morning, the municipal manager, Mr Nathi Tshiwanammbi, responded to questions by saying that he did not want to go into details. “I would like to put it on record that the above allegations are unfounded, false, and misleading,” he said.

Tshiwanammbi said that they would respond to the allegations made in the memorandum of “that small group of people involved in propagating their agendas using my name.”