The son of slain anti-corruption activist and SAMWU official Ronald Mani has alleged that he, like his late father, is now facing death threats for speaking out about issues relating to the condition of Makwarela Stadium and Thulamela Municipality’s controversial Muledane demolitions.
Hulisani Mani, who is also the president of the Economic Liberators Forum South Africa (ELFSA), claims he recently received disturbing information about an alleged gathering attended by people linked to Thulamela Municipality on the evening of 22 May. During the gathering, discussions allegedly turned to the Makwarela Stadium matter and warnings were allegedly made against him.
According to Mani, he was informed that because he was “reviving” questions around the state of Makwarela Stadium, he should “watch out”, with alleged threats made against his life.
The matter has raised fresh fears within the community, particularly because Mani’s father, Ronald Mani, was shot execution-style at Itsani in 2019 after reportedly speaking out about alleged corruption and the VBS Mutual Bank scandal linked to the Vhembe District Municipality.
Speaking about the current concerns, Mani said the issue had always been about accountability and public infrastructure.
Makwarela Stadium recently underwent a revamp costing more than R42 million, yet many residents believe the facility remains neglected and far below the standard expected after such expenditure. Questions continue to be raised about the condition of the stadium and whether public funds were properly utilised.
Mani further stated that citizens have every right to question governance, service delivery and the management of public resources without fear of intimidation. He has not yet opened a police case regarding the alleged threats, but said he wanted the public to know about the matter “so that if anything happens to me, the truth is already known”.