Ghost of tribalism returns to haunt the ANC’s biggest region in Limpopo
The battle for the Mopani mayoral chain has begun.
A resurgence of tribalism has emerged within the ANC in Limpopo's largest region, Norman Mashabane, as party leaders grapple over who should succeed former Mopani District executive mayor Pule "Frelimo" Shayi. An ANC regional meeting is currently underway to discuss the issue of tribalism in depth. Shayi was recently appointed as MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (Coghsta) following Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba's Cabinet reshuffle.
This has left a void at Mopani District Municipality, sparking a tribal tug-of-war between Sepedi and Xitsonga speakers. The region has a history of grappling with tribalism, with its former ANC regional secretary, Bricks Manzini, emphasizing that the ANC is a national democratic movement and not a tribal one. Manzini argued that tribalism affects innocent people, especially in Mopani, where complaints of tribalism in the workplace, business, and service allocation have been reported.
Both ANC regional chairperson Dagma Mamanyoha and regional secretary Sonia Ngobeni-Maswanganyi have declined to comment, referring all media inquiries to the party's regional spokesperson, Peter Ngobeni. The troubled Norman Mashabane region comprises five local municipalities and one district municipality, with a history of being divided into two Bantustans based on Sepedi and Xitsonga speakers.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
