The Vhembe District Municipality (VDM) is being accused of side-lining the Xitsonga-speaking communities in terms of senior appointments and with upliftment projects.
The Waterval Community Development Forum (WCDF) expressed its dissatisfaction with the conduct and response of the VDM. According to the forum's secretary-general, Mr Paul Mthebule, the VDM has still not responded to a letter of enquiry dated 21 June 2021. The letter was addressed to the municipal manager and contained several complaints.
Mthebule said that the forum had found out that the VDM had five vacant management posts. Four of the posts were for general managers and one was for the chief financial officer. He claimed the posts had not been advertised and the positions had been filled without considering the need to accommodate people with disabilities or to create a gender balance in the top structures of the municipality.
"We still need to know when these posts were advertised and in which publications. As a community, we need to be abreast of what is going on in the district. This will offer chances for any suitable candidates, whether Xitsonga- or Tshivenda-speaking people, to apply for the posts if they meet the requirements," said Mthebule.
But Matodzi Ralushai, VDM's spokesperson, denied these claims. "The municipality adhered to recruitment policies and the allegations raised are not correct. Posts are always advertised before interviews are conducted," he said. Ralushai said when appointments were made, all candidates were considered, and no discrimination existed.
He did not respond to a question to specify the publication that had advertised the posts and when these were advertised.
The WCDF, however, is not convinced. The forum said that four of the senior posts had been filled by Tshivenda-speaking candidates. The forum further claims that money earmarked for development in the Xitsonga-speaking communities do not always end up in these areas. As an example, he pointed out that in the 2019/2020 financial year R2,2 million was budgeted for a water reticulation project in the Mpheni area. In 2020/2021, the same community should have received VIP toilets at an estimated cost of R2 million. "This is surprising, as the Waterval, Elim and Hlanganani areas never received such an allocation," said Mthebule.
According to Ralushai, during the 2019/2020 financial year funds were allocated to the Elim-Mpheni area to address water challenges at the hospital. Ralushai did not specify how much money had been allocated to this project. He said in the current financial year, R1.5million had been allocated to Waterval for the water project and the project had already been handed over to the contractor. Ralushai did not disclose when the project was handed over to the contractor and who the contractor was.