LIMPOPO – Allegations of corruption have rocked Ward 19 in Mahlathi village, Giyani, where food parcels intended for poor and vulnerable flood victims were allegedly divided among ANC members and their friends instead of reaching the needy residents.

The food parcels, meant for 50 residents affected by the January floods, were delivered last Friday by Limpopo Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (Ledet) in conjunction with the Limpopo Gambling Board (LGB) as part of service delivery week.

However, witnesses and victims allege that several parcels were diverted to ANC affiliates and associates, while some were taken back from recipients under the cover of darkness.

Victim forced to return parcel

One victim, Grace Mathebula, described how she received a food parcel in full view of the community, only to have it confiscated hours later by a prominent ANC member.

“It started with Boti Musa (Musa Chabalala), the general secretary of the ANC branch in Ward 19, coming to my home early in the morning to register me for food parcels. I gave him my particulars and later went to collect it,” she said. “But later the evening, his wife knocked on my door to fetch it. When I asked why, she told me it was a “favour” because I did not qualify,” she explained.

Mathebula spoke to Chabalala on the phone, who insisted that she hand over the food parcel to his wife.

“I had no choice but to give it back,” she said, adding that it was painful to see the food she thought was going to take her through the month taken away from her. “I didn’t sleep that night,” she said.

However, after the journalist asked about the incident, the food parcel was returned to her on Tuesday, five days later. “They returned it around 21:00,” she said.

ANC branch secretary denies allegations

When confronted with the allegations, Chabalala denied ever confiscating food parcels.

“That job was handled by the ward councillor and his ward committee members, not me,” he said.

‘These are election tactics‘

He dismissed the claims as politically motivated. “These are old allegations being pushed by people who want me out of politics,” he said.

“These are election times, and people are doing everything to ensure that they destroy me.

“These allegations first emerged in 2003, and I didn’t take action then. But this time I must act,” he warned.

Ward committee member exposes distribution clash

Another resident, Mhloti Khumbuzo, also had her parcel confiscated, allegedly by Glenda Nkuna, the headman’s wife, but Nkuna flatly denied any involvement in the distribution of food parcels.

However, ward committee member Violet Mathye painted a different picture.

“We shared the list of beneficiaries between the headman’s wife and us. She had a list of 25 beneficiaries, and we operated on another list of 25. What she did with that list was up to her. We had no power over it,” Mathye said.

The incident has exposed not only alleged political interference in aid distribution but also a troubling clash between the ward councillor’s office and the local royal family.