Man told: ‘no vote, no toilet’

A PENSIONER from Munghonghoma village in Giyani claims an ANC ward 24 committee member told him that he could not have a toilet, because he voted for the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the general elections.

The pensioner, Wireless Malatjie (62), said the ANC ward committee member in question, Flora Machete, was also a party agent during the elections.

Malatjie said it was embarrassing to have to relieve himself outdoors.

Malatjie and his family, consisting of four children and six grandchildren, live in a hut and a dilapidated one-room house built of mud bricks.

Some of his family sleep at their neighbour’s house, as there is not enough space in their own home.

EFF Giyani party convener, Victor Mavunda, expressed his anger about this allegation.

He said Machete was a party agent and, since Malatjie had voted by special vote, it was possible for Machete to have seen who he voted for.

“She’s a law unto herself, even jobs go through her; people know that, if they want jobs, they have to see her for a recommendation,” Mavunda alleged.

Machete denied all the allegations against her.

She said Malatjie was on several lists of beneficiaries for both RDP houses and toilets.

“Even as we speak, I am at his house, trying to verify his name on some of the lists that we have. That I told him that he won’t get a toilet is nonsense. Who am I to say that?” she said.

The matter was brought to the attention of ANC Giyani deputy chairperson, John Bilankulu, who responded by saying that the ANC brought services to everybody regardless of who they had voted for.

“It is highly unlikely that she would have said that,” he said in defence of Machete.

Bilankulu said the ANC would investigate further, and pay a visit to Malatjie to assess the situation.

“We still have to hear her side of the story.

“Right now I don’t want to pre-empt action that might be taken against the ward committee member should she be found guilty,” he said.