Reality has caught up with the African National Congress ( ANC) Councilors at Greater Tzaneen Municipality.
This following several compalins of service delivery at Ward 26.
The municipality hosted an Imbizo at Nyanyukani village under Ward 26, which is led by Councilor Thulani Shihahlule.
An imbizo promotes active involvement and participation of the public in the implementation of the government Intergrated Development Plan ( IDP).
Community members of the oldest village came with flames blazing at the meeting.
Residents asked the municipality what criteria they should use to qualify for service delivery?
Amongst their challenges are lack of water road infrastructure.
They lashed out at their Ward Councilor and accused him of being unprofessional and lacked empathy towards the needs of the community.
Mayor Gerrison Molapisane was a no-show due to his failure to fulfill past promises and instead assigned a Executive Member in governance and shared services counselor Richard Shingange to engage with the residents.
Acting Mayor Councilor Shingange tried to explain the difference between provincial and local municipality roads.
“We understand that during rainy season, roads are undrivable. However, as a municipality, we are not mandated to repair provincial roads. Local municipality roads are the ones that are within the community. The ones that connect or link villages and towns do not belong to us, ” said Acting Mayor Richard Shingange
Shingange pleaded with the Public Works Mopani Distric, who were invited to do their job. Because communities don’t understand the difference between their jurisdiction and dermacation in implementing IDP.
The department assured to attend to the matter after Easter holidays.
On the other hand, the power ulitity Eskom opted to avoid the public participation meeting.
Acting Mayor made the matter worse when he tried to explain how IDP works
“Local Municipalities are given 3 years to come with an IDP, and it is possible to be implemented by the incoming council, not us,” said Shingange
In simple terms, Mayor’s cannot implement their plans before fulfilling their predisecor’s IDP.
ANC has in the past apartheid governance been causing smoothly, especially in Mopani District Municipality.
Comparison with previous election results in Tzaneen, the ANC held a stronger position in 2016 with 52 seats out of the 69 available seats in council.
In 2011 elections, the ruling party held 59 seats, indicating a downward trend in total seat count over the last three Local Government Elections.
Currently, they have 51 seats, while EFF secured 9 and DA 5, Freedom Plus, African People’s Convention (APC) , and African Freedom Party(AFP) has one seat each.
Will the residents of Nyanyukani village and surrounding areas remain loyal to the ANC Norman Mashabane Region and endure the pain, it is yet to be testing in the upcoming 2026 Local Government Elections to be announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa soon.