200k aerial project sparks uproar in Khaxani community

LIMPOPO – Residents of Khaxani village are up in arms after more than R200 000 allocated for a long-promised aerial project to improve satellite and telecommunication reception was allegedly misused by community leaders.

Villagers, who say they have waited for years to see the development materialise, are now demanding accountability and a formal investigation into how the money was spent.

According to the residents, the aerial project was meant to uplift the community through infrastructure that would improve both safety and access to essential services.

Villagers explain that the project promised to introduce aerial structures that could assist with water reticulation and electricity extensions, as well as provide a communications link for emergency response.

For many, the project symbolised a step towards progress in a village that has long struggled with basic services.

However, instead of seeing these improvements, residents allege that the bulk of the money disappeared into questionable expenditures. Only a few small-scale works were carried out, they say, works that neither reflect the promised outcomes nor justify the R200 000 budget.

The Herald has obtained audio recordings from recent community meetings, in which villagers can be heard confronting their leaders.

In the audios, several individuals are implicated, with residents openly questioning where the money went. Some of the recordings include allegations that the leaders deliberately sidestepped proper consultation processes and failed to produce financial reports.

“We only heard about the project when the money was already gone,” one resident said in the recordings. “They didn’t ask for our input, they didn’t show us plans, and when we asked questions, they brushed us aside. Now we are told the money is finished, but we don’t see the results.”

Another villager, who asked not to be named, said the lack of transparency has fueled suspicion and anger.

“The leaders think we are blind, but we are not. The small things they did do were poorly done and cannot be worth what they claim. We want answers, not excuses.”

For years, the aerial project was described by local leadership as a priority initiative that would finally bring Khaxani closer to other developing villages in the region. Residents say they had pinned their hopes on the project, seeing it as a potential lifeline in tackling water shortages and electricity cuts that often leave them stranded.

For Khaxani residents, the issue is no longer just about a failed aerial project; it is about trust, accountability, and the right to development that they say has been denied for far too long.

Herald contacted Khaxani headman, Monika Mongwe, on the allegations made by the residents.

Mongwe rejected the allegations, saying they were misleading and did not reflect what had happened.

“When we approached the businessman during one of our meetings, I asked if he could help us with the aerial project because we were struggling with the network,” Mongwe explained.

“He then gave me R130 000 and added until it totalled to over R200 000, which he said was for me and the community. After discussions with my advisors, I realised that our people were also suffering, so we agreed to use the money for that need. We also decided to fix the cemetery’s fence, which was damaged, and to build toilets.”

Mongwe added that these decisions were not made in isolation but were discussed during the community’s monthly meetings.

“Some of the people who are now complaining did not attend those meetings. I explained that we cannot always wait for everyone to be home before moving forward. If we waited for all, progress would be delayed.”

He further said that his leadership had always been rooted in service to the village.

“I have been headman for 19 years, and in all those years, I have never received a salary. My intention has always been to help the community, not to enrich myself.”