An ANC MP this morning found himself at the end of a barrage of insults from his own rural village neighbours near Mthatha including his own brother.
Despite being born and bred in Gxididi village outside the city centre, parlimentarian Zukile Luyenge found himself having to bear the brunt of his own community which accused him of being a divisive influence in the area.
The residents burned tyres and blockaded the main gravel road cutting through their village for several hours while chanting derogatory songs aimed at Luyenge who stood with a group of armed police.
His older brother Zola Luyenge, a former UDM councillor in King Sabata Dalindyebo and the deputy chairman of the Gxididi Development Forum, said the community's gripe with his younger sibling was over a community hall which KSD municipal bosses were planning to build.
Gxididi is made up six villages -- Zukile's village of Ngwevana, Ndungwana, Soyini, Magumbini, Mpekele and Ntsila.
KSD's new mayor Dumani Zozo reportedly introduced a contractor to build the community a R2,5-million hall last week.
But Zola claimed the community had been fighting to get a hall since 2000 and had identified a central site to all six villages making up Gxididi where they wanted it to be built.
He accused his younger brother of hijacking the project because of his "close" ties with authorities at the ANC-led KSD municipality.
"We heard that the mayor was here and only a few people from Ngwevana attended including Zukile. Because he is respected , he is using the fact that I was the one who approached KSD to build us a hall as ammunition since I am from the UDM. The reason he is doing this is because he is fighting me," said Zola.
Hamilton Sithonga, a headman in Gxididi and also the chairman of the area's development forum, said part of the reason they were against the building of the hall in the site near Zukile's home, was because of the cost implications involved for other villages.
"People from other villages would have to pay transport costs to come and use this hall for meetings. We will fight against this."
Meanwhile, Zukile hit back at Zola accusing him of using the issue of the hall to derail service delivery just because he was not retained by the UDM as a KSD councillor.
He accused Sithonga of being a member of the Mthatha Ratepayers and Residents Association which won only four seats during the recent local government elections but failed to win a single municipal ward.
"This is the anger of the opposition because of the ANC's victory and the brunt of those who failed to make it back to councils including my older brother."
He claimed it had long been agreed that the site where a contractor is planning to build the hall, be earmarked as a development zone.
"He is a natural liar. He has never cared for anyone but himself all his life," he added.
The area's new ward councillor Virginia Roji, who arrived late at the scene, said the divisions within the community did not bode well for development.
KSD municipality could not be reached for comment at the time of writing.
ANC MP slated by his rural village neighbours
Despite being born and bred in Gxididi village outside the city centre, parlimentarian Zukile Luyenge found himself having to bear the brunt of his own community which accused him of being a divisive influence in the area.
The residents burned tyres and blockaded the main gravel road cutting through their village for several hours while chanting derogatory songs aimed at Luyenge who stood with a group of armed police.
His older brother Zola Luyenge, a former UDM councillor in King Sabata Dalindyebo and the deputy chairman of the Gxididi Development Forum, said the community's gripe with his younger sibling was over a community hall which KSD municipal bosses were planning to build.
Gxididi is made up six villages -- Zukile's village of Ngwevana, Ndungwana, Soyini, Magumbini, Mpekele and Ntsila.
KSD's new mayor Dumani Zozo reportedly introduced a contractor to build the community a R2,5-million hall last week.
But Zola claimed the community had been fighting to get a hall since 2000 and had identified a central site to all six villages making up Gxididi where they wanted it to be built.
He accused his younger brother of hijacking the project because of his "close" ties with authorities at the ANC-led KSD municipality.
"We heard that the mayor was here and only a few people from Ngwevana attended including Zukile. Because he is respected , he is using the fact that I was the one who approached KSD to build us a hall as ammunition since I am from the UDM. The reason he is doing this is because he is fighting me," said Zola.
Hamilton Sithonga, a headman in Gxididi and also the chairman of the area's development forum, said part of the reason they were against the building of the hall in the site near Zukile's home, was because of the cost implications involved for other villages.
"People from other villages would have to pay transport costs to come and use this hall for meetings. We will fight against this."
Meanwhile, Zukile hit back at Zola accusing him of using the issue of the hall to derail service delivery just because he was not retained by the UDM as a KSD councillor.
He accused Sithonga of being a member of the Mthatha Ratepayers and Residents Association which won only four seats during the recent local government elections but failed to win a single municipal ward.
"This is the anger of the opposition because of the ANC's victory and the brunt of those who failed to make it back to councils including my older brother."
He claimed it had long been agreed that the site where a contractor is planning to build the hall, be earmarked as a development zone.
"He is a natural liar. He has never cared for anyone but himself all his life," he added.
The area's new ward councillor Virginia Roji, who arrived late at the scene, said the divisions within the community did not bode well for development.
KSD municipality could not be reached for comment at the time of writing.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos