A residents’ group in Mangwe District has petitioned the Mangwe Rural District Council (MRDC), accusing it of imposing an unfair tax burden on vulnerable households while failing to channel revenue generated from the district’s border posts into local development.
In a petition dated 17 July and addressed to MRDC Chief Executive Officer Bongani Ngwenya, the Progressive Alliance of Mthwakazi Unions (PAMU) called for greater transparency in the council’s finances, tax relief for vulnerable residents and improved service delivery.
The petition, which was also copied to traditional leaders across the district, argues that despite Mangwe hosting the Plumtree and Mphoengs border posts, local communities continue to face poor roads, under-resourced clinics and inadequate public services.
“Our district hosts major, highly lucrative commercial arteries, including the Plumtree Border Post and Mphoengs Border Post, which generate massive revenues daily through transit fees, customs and trade. Yet, none of this wealth is reinvested locally,” PAMU leader Cosmas Ncube said.
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He called on the council to explain why revenue generated from economic activity at the border posts was not translating into visible development projects within the district.
The organisation also criticised the council’s taxation of elderly residents and child-headed households, arguing that many pensioners have no regular source of income and rely on financial support from relatives living abroad.
“It is completely unacceptable that the council aggressively taxes elderly persons over 70 who survive with no income, alongside impoverished, child-headed homes,” Ncube said.
He argued that the taxes place an additional burden on diaspora families, who already contribute towards healthcare, education and food security for relatives back home.
PAMU also questioned the role of traditional leaders, urging chiefs and headmen to publicly support residents raising concerns over taxation and service delivery.
Among its demands, the organisation is calling for a revenue-sharing mechanism or dedicated development allocation linked to economic activity at the Plumtree and Mphoengs border posts, saying the funds should be used to improve roads and other infrastructure in Mangwe.
The group also wants the council to exempt residents aged over 70 and child-headed households from paying rates and development levies, prioritise local youths for employment opportunities, reduce fees at council-run schools and commission a public audit of its development and road maintenance budgets.
PAMU has given the council and the district’s Traditional Leadership Council 14 days to respond to the petition.
Efforts to obtain comment from MRDC Chief Executive Officer Bongani Ngwenya were unsuccessful as his mobile phone went unanswered.
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