War of words over hiring people for project

A WAR of words has broken out between the disgruntled community of ward 25 of the Thulamela Municipality and their councillor over the hiring of workers for a project.

The dispute is over a R50 million water project, the Thitereke Water Project that started in May and is expected to be completed in 18 months. The aim of the project is to supply clean water to Vhufuli, Tshitereke and Ha-Makhuvha villages.

The construction of the project was also meant to supply jobs to unemployed local villagers in the affected villages with temporary jobs.

They would also learn some much needed skills that could help them find work in future.

Now the EFF and the ANC are at loggerheads over this project that was supposed to bring hope to the villages.

Thivhulawi Sikombo, EFF branch secretary for Vhembe, said 36 people were justly employed to work on the project. “They attended their various local committee meetings and were chosen for this project through fair procedures. The three villages each sent 12 residents to work on the project,” he said.

Unfortunately, according to Sikombo, 15 workers were not employed through the proper channels.

“We are worried about the fact that these people were just hired out of hand, allegedly by an ANC ward councillor. We want to know which criteria was used to choose these workers. Nobody should be favoured just because of their political affiliation,” he said.

The chairperson of the Thitereke Water Project management committee, Joe Mathule, said he agreed with Sikombo.

Mathule said the committee never knew about the 15 extra workers until the contractor informed them of the matter. “We informed the councillor who promised to investigate the matter. We also referred the issue to the traditional council, under khosi Vho-Nyelisani Mphigalale. The traditional council said construction on the project should continue while they address the problem.”

Spokesperson for the Thulamela Municipality, Nndwamato Tshiila, said the municipality was aware of the dispute and said the matter would be investigated further, taking all accusations into account.

“We promise that anyone found guilty of misconduct will face the consequences. However, this issue could be politically influenced by the EFF,” he said.