MORE than 200 frustrated residents from Elim in Limpopo took to the streets on Thursday, 7 December to protest against alleged corruption.
Residents accused the Njaka Njaka Tribal Authority of lacking transparency despite the payment of tribal levies amounting to R100 per household.
They demanded the tribal authority's annual financial report and transparency in using funds for community projects.
It's alleged that the march was caused by the removal of more than 50 hawkers' shacks during the construction of the D4 Road, leaving behind containers and spaza shops.
Residents alleged that they have been paying an annual fee of R20 per household since 2019 for a fence and toilets at the gravesite.
Speaking to Daily Sun, a marcher questioned the purpose of the tribal authority if it doesn't provide help.
"We believe that the money was supposed to help in drilling boreholes and gravel roads," said the marcher.
The residents submitted a memorandum of grievances to John Ntabeni, senior headman of the Njakanjaka Traditional Council.
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Nelson Mabobo, deputy chairman of Elim to Shirley Community Development and Service Delivery Forum, expressed dissatisfaction with the tribal authority's help to the community.
"All the erected shacks around Elim Hospital, Elim High School and the shopping complex have to be removed to build a proper market for them as they were located under the electricity line.
“We need the tribal authority to stop collecting a huge sum of money from our poor mothers (hawkers) who are trying to put food on the table," said Mabobo.
Among their demands was a call for cooperation between the tribal authority (chief) and police to eradicate the selling of drugs in their communities.
They accused the tribal authority of nepotism, leading to corruption, lack of fairness and accountability. Residents also demanded the tribal authority stop the sale of a site adjacent to the old Lemana College, which was declared a heritage site.
On Friday 15 December, the tribal council convened a problem-solving meeting to address residents' grievances. Hosi Hlekani Mkhari denied the allegations and stressed that they have a plan in place to construct a proper market for the hawkers.
During the meeting, residents were briefed on the tribal authority’s annual financial report. Mkhari said they're actively working on plans to stop residents from paying tribal levies.
"Don’t be misled by people who don’t know what they're doing. The hawkers were using the place while we, together with Twin City, have a plan in place to provide market stalls for them."
Mkhari said they're in the process of discontinuing residents' payments of levies.
“The R100 tribal levies were used to pay the salaries of workers at the tribal council and for other expenses. We are engaging with government to secure funding for expenses at the tribal council,” said Mkhari.
Ntabeni assured the community that they still have land reserved for the gravesite and people will be able to use it soon to bury their loved ones.
According to Ntabeni, there are individuals with malicious intentions who seek to take over the chief seat.
“We urge residents not to attend meetings of any committee that is not recognised by the traditional council. The traditional council doesn't tolerate corruption,” said Ntabeni.
