The march was also supported by other civil rights organisations and the community at large as they sided with Phalaborwa Mayor, Merriam Malatji, and all other women in leadership positions who have been the target of abuse and insults. Coordinator of the ANC Women’s League in Phalaborwa, Paulina Mailula, said they are tired of the insults against the mayor and other women by the leadership of the Ba-Phalaborwa Concerned Members (BCM), Edwin Malatji and Thuso Shayi, and their followers.

“We believe that they are funded by people who want to prevent the mayor from ensuring services to BaPhalaborwa communities,” she added. Edwin has been vocal about his mission to remove the mayor from her position. He has accused her of corruption and using her influence to control businesses and the Ba-Phalaborwa Community Forum (BCF). The women handed a memorandum to the ANC and the Leolo Community Trust.

Also read: Phalaborwa mayor sues concerned group for defamation

In it they say that Edwin, Shayi, and their followers are undermining and insulting traditional leaders such as Kgoshigadi of Mashishimale, Kgoshigadi of Maseke Tribal, Mmakgoshi of Makhushane Tribal Authority, and the chief financial officer of Phalaborwa Mining Company (PMC), Nakedi Dikeledi. It states they are also offending the police station commanders of Lulekani, Namakgale and Phalaborwa. “These barbaric insults to women must stop with immediate effect,” they demanded.

Mailula said that the allegations against the mayor were baseless and lacked substance, citing that the role of the mayor is to facilitate meetings and foster harmony between the BCF and the BCM. “The mayor is only supporting a legitimate structure of the BCF and not mushroom groups,” she explained. She added that the daughter of the mayor is not employed by PMC as alleged by the BCM. “Despite her being born and bred in Phalaborwa, her daughter is still unemployed although she has all the relevant qualifications.

“She cannot be deprived of job opportunities because her mother is a mayor. It is very unfair to her daughter,” Mailula explained. The ANC Women’s League has called for the ruling party and the provincial government to intervene and investigate the abuse of women in leadership positions in Phalaborwa. In a video, Edwin stated that Shayi was arrested for being vocal about wanting to remove the mayor.

He indicated that next year he might start an independent party, as he has lost hope in all political parties. The Herald’s attempted to contact Edwin to respond to the march. At the time of going to print, no comment was received.