Community builder enters elections as an independent

Nationally decorated community builder Mr Michael Rasikhinya, who has won a number of national accolades and travelled extensively as a national athletics coach, is to stand as an independent candidate in the forthcoming local government elections.

Rasikhinya (48) of Maniini outside Thohoyandou, who won the Community Builder of the Year (youth category) in 1998, presidential award-National order recipient –Star of Silver in 1999 and community builder of the year in 2000, is an aspiring ward councillor for Thulamela Ward 41.

The hardworking public figure, who hosted late president Nelson Mandela’s 84th birthday in Polokwane in 2002, succumbed to pressure from community structures that asked him to join politics and represent them. About his new role, Rasikhinya said he was humbled that his nomination was an indication that the community had faith in him.

“The community must have noticed something in me that prompted them to nominate me as their leader, and I know myself that I am hard worker who will not disappoint them. There are many things that are not going right in this ward and I believe they are issues that relate to service delivery that made them change their minds and opt for a change in leadership," he said

He commented on the current municipal leadership, adding that the previous councillor "has failed in all respects in the area and we live with a lack of all the basics of life, such as water, no running sewage, no health facilities, with residents having to pay R40 access to health care, which is not right,” he said.

He further indicated that he was confident that he would win the ward and hinted that he would support any political party that would be relevant to the people who had the passion to serve the community.

“I believe in participatory democracy and people in my ward will determine what is good for them and will not be dictated to. The present councillor failed desperately in this respect,” he said.

Rasikhinya is getting support from all structures in his community. Maniini Block L civic deputy secretary Mr Aluwani Eric Maravha said they had co-opted him to the executive and since then there had been great improvement in the lives of the residents.

“We encouraged him to stand and the community and the royal leadership are fully behind him; we are going to make sure he wins,” he said.

Date:09 June 2016

By: Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019.

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