Name something after Big Moss, Limpopo ANC told

Collins Chabane Local Municipality also told family members are jobless

The Village Voice

The family of the slain Collins Chabane Local Municipality mayor has told the ANC that it expected the party he worked for to name something after him to preserve his legacy .
Maluleke, of Xikundu village, also known as Big Moss died in July last year when he was shot in what police have described as botched robbery.

A memorial lecture organised by Limpopo ANC and addressed by ANC Limpopo deputy chairperson Florence Radzilani was held on the eve of the unveiling Ceremony of his tombstone last week.
At the unveiling Ceremony event acting mayor Shadrack Maluleke addressed the mourners representing the government while ANC Vhembe treasurer Mihloti Muhlope represented the ANC. At the memorial lecture, Maluleke’s younger brother Eitken Maluleke said the family was not celebrating Maluleke’s life as many of his comrades said they were doing.

“There is no environment created for the family to celebrate my brother’s life yet. We are still attending the trial of the five accused charged with his murder and unless the matter is concluded we will continue to have question marks,” he said. Maluleke said his brother worked for the ANC from the young age and rose through the ranks to become the mayor. “He built streets, halls and renovated stadiums and we as a family will appreciate it if some institutions are named after him,” he said.

At the unveiling ceremony, he directed his plea to the municipality. “My brother was the mayor and we as members of the family were excluded from jobs because he said that would amount to corruption. But now he is no more and there is no one in the family working. His parents, wife, children and three siblings are there and no one cares how the family is keeping up ” he said. Maluleke said he appreciated the reaction by the community who goes to court and has also supported both the memorial lecture and the unveiling of the tombstone ceremony. “As a family, we now know that we did not know the real Big Moss, because the real one belongs to the community he served ” he said. Mayor Maluleke said he heard what the family was saying.

He said he and Munivipality manager Richard Shilenge were assisting the family’s trips to attend the court case in Polokwane from their pockets. He also thanked businessman GV Baloyi who was providing his bus for the community to attend the court case. ANC veteran Rodwell Mashaba, Contralesa Vhembe chairman Prince Gulukhulu Mathebula, secretary Hosi Shigamani and MP Musa Chabane were some of the dignitaries at the unveiling event at the late mayor’s home at Xikundu.