{
  "id": 11859792,
  "title": "‘Heads are going to roll’: Vhembe managers in firing line after water projects abandoned",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/04/heads-are-going-to-roll-vhembe-managers-in-firing-line-after-water",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-04T05:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Citizen",
    "slug": "the-citizen",
    "url": "https://www.citizen.co.za/news/vhembe-managers-to-face-action-after-water-projects-abandoned/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Two senior managers at the Vhembe District Municipality in Limpopo may face severe repercussions for allegedly overcommitting on water projects exceeding R400 million. The revelation surfaced after service providers contracted for the projects withdrew from the sites in the former Venda homeland last week. The situation unfolded just 11 months after former Roads Agency Limpopo CEO Gabriel Maluleke was dismissed in November 2024 for financial misconduct, spending R1.3 billion on road projects without budget approval. The decision to abandon the projects arrives a month before the significant 4 November local government elections. Vhembe District Municipality disclosed that service providers had informed the municipality of their withdrawal via letters. Mayor Miyelani Chauke confirmed the allegations, stating, \"When I spoke to my staff, I was told there was no money left in the coffers to complete the projects.\" Chauke reported receiving directives from the Office of the Premier, the ANC, and the National Department of Water and Sanitation to address the matter, assuring that \"heads are definitely going to roll.\" The mayor's primary directive from the premier is to improve the lives of Vhembe's residents, with water provision as the top priority. Chauke revealed the municipal focus on capital projects to expand and rehabilitate water and wastewater infrastructure, highlighting ongoing initiatives like the Ngwenani-Themeli water supply and bulk reticulation project. He also addressed sanitation improvements, noting progress in the blue and green drop programs. The municipality's water issues include ongoing challenges in Musina, where a cross-border water project intended to benefit Zimbabwe and South Africa remains incomplete since 2022. Chauke pledged that the water situation in Musina would improve soon, with the National Minister of Water and Sanitation visiting the town to address the issue.",
  "summary": "Water projects were abandoned by contractors after the Vhembe District ran out of money",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}