Frank Maponya

Frank Maponya

Two senior officials of the Greater Giyani local municipality in Limpopo are living in fear of their lives after allegedly receiving threatening calls.

It has come to light that the mayor, Angie Ramaipadi, and the municipality manager, Silence Makhubela, have allegedly been receiving calls from anonymous people threatening to kill them.

Sources at the municipality believe the threats are linked to the dismissal of two senior officials last month.

The officials have since appealed against their dismissals.

The two officials, who were allegedly in charge of economic development at the municipality, were fired following allegations of embezzlement and corruption.

A source in the municipality told Sowetan yesterday that Makhubela had received several threatening calls since Monday.

Makhubela allegedly discussed with Ramaipadi these threats against his life.

The two allegedly undertook to conduct their own investigations into the matter.

"It was not long after the two took the decision that Ramaipadi also started receiving similar calls," said the source.

The source claimed the sacked officials had written letters with Cosatu letterheads to the municipality, claiming Ramaipadi and Makhubela were governing the institution "in Verwoerdian style".

Ramaipadi and Makhubela were allegedly targeted after they took tough decisions against corrupt officials at the municipality.

They were allegedly instrumental in the dismissal of three traffic officers in December for alleged corrupt practices.

Municipal spokesman, Room Mdaka, could neither confirm nor deny the threats, but said internal investigations were under way.