A prominent businessman has accused the Greater Giyani Municipality (GGM) Mayor of corruption after allegedly instructing him to inflate a transportation quotation by more than the initial quoted amount for personal use.

This follows after Howard Mashaba accused GGM Mayor Thandi Zitha of corruption after she allegedly instructed him to increase the 2024 transportation quotation by R250,000.

On Saturday, April 11, 2026, the ANC held a provincial rally at the Giyani Stadium in Limpopo to start the party’s councillor candidate nomination Branch General Meetings (BGMs) and introduce the 11th Provincial Executive Committee (PEC). Mashaba claims that the party sought an R3000.00 donation for supporters’ t-shirts, which sparked the feud with the mayor.

“When they wanted to host the ANC event which was recently held at Giyani Stadium she asked for R3000.00. I paid it directly to the supplier. I’m shocked when she says she wants money. Even if I had not given them I don’t see any problems that they asked. I did not owe them (ANC),” he said.

In 2024, President Cyril Ramaphosa visited Malamulele to deliver the keynote address at the ANC Limpopo Provincial Siyanqoba Rally held at the Malamulele Stadium shortly before the highly contested May 29, 2024, general elections

“When the president came for the rally at the Malamulele Stadium, residents of Giyani had to be transported there. They wanted buses to transport residents to the stadium. She said I should add R250.000.00 but I refused. That was when the fight began. She said I must add R250 000.00 she wanted to use it for her own benefit. That is why we are fighting. I’m shocked when she says they must impound Xilumani vehicles. She firstly said this, at the (traffic) parade, that they must impound Xilumani vehicles and traffic officers were shocked as well. I was very surprised when she said she wanted the Xilumani vehicles. She demanded 250 thousand over the Phone. She can take me anywhere I will defend my story. That is why I was not afraid to write on WhatsApp. What I can say is that government officials must not use state resources to fight personal vendettas or target people. If she wants to target me she must come to me personally and not use state resources to fight me. This fight began from the R250 thousand matter and the 3000 that I paid directly to the service provider. She wanted me to pay R3000 to her and not the service provider.” he said.

On Monday, April 13, 2026, a well-known Xitsonga musician, Benny Mayengani, and Mashaba ally, posted a Facebook video and WhatsApp screen containing explosive claims.

In the video, which Mashaba claims was filmed two weeks ago, approximately March 30, 2026, during a roadblock in the Giyani neighbourhood, a female voice believed to be that of Zitha can be heard claiming that she was targeting Mashaba-owned vehicles such as minibuses and buses.

Mashaba later saw the video and then sent the mayor a WhatsApp text, expressing his dismay at her alleged conduct. “I couldn’t ignore your voice in the background of this video, sounds so personal. Maybe you can clarify. Are you a law enforcement officer?” Mashaba asked Zitha.

“My fight is against your corrupt actions and not you personally. However, I refuse to be intimidated or threatened by you. I wasn’t aware that this campaign is for an individual, particularly me,” Mashaba charged.

Mayor Zitha responded, “The reason I speak is because I think about the R3000.00 for t-shirts.”

Countering Zitha’s claims, Mashaba fired back: “T-Shirts were paid directly to the service provider and I have proof. We all know that this has everything to do with the transport quotation during the visit of the president which you had wanted me to add an extra 250K for your benefit. You really are a corrupt woman.”

African Times is in possession of the transport quotation document dated 02/05/2024, which Xilumani coaches quoted the African National Congress (ANC) of over R400 000 to transport ANC supporters from 85 villages of the Giyani Municipality to the Malamulele Stadium in the Collins Chabane Municipality in Vhembe District.

When contacted, Mashaba confirmed the post shared by Mayengani, “I know the video and what the mayor has said. You can see from the screenshot when I confronted her and asked what was happening and she responded to me with that (See the screenshot).

Zitha has denied all allegations levelled against her, warning Mashaba to stop tarnishing her name.
“Let me tell you what happened. Mr Mashaba saw me wearing a T-shirt with something written on it, e.g. Gadlanani, Kremetart etc and he liked it. He said I must ask the person who makes them for the price. The person said the t-shirts cost R3000.00. The person then made t-shirts and Mashaba did not pay. I paid myself. These allegations of 250 thousand shock me as well. I don’t know where they come from. He is the last person I can ask to buy me a colddrink or something. He is known that he is not clean. Even his father is before court now because of him. He used to steal Public Works houses. I don’t know anything to go back to him to prove what he is claiming.

“To go to Malamulele we did not use his buses we used PJ Thwalas buses. He quoted us about R500.000.00. I said we cannot afford this quotation and we went to PJ Thwalas. I did not ask any quotation from him and asked for an extra R250 thousand. I never worked with Mashaba about buses. The last time I used his buses was when we went to Nelspruit. I don’t have any business with Mashaba. I’m sorry. I will take him to court if he tarnishes my name,” Zitha said.

GGM spokesperson Steven Mabunda has since distanced the municipality from the feud, saying people must not involve the municipality in their personal skirmishes.

“I don’t like this issue because it’s like an issue between two people who hold personal grudges issues with each other, especially this issue that the mayor asked for R250 thousand. This issue goes back to him. What did he do after she asked for that amount? Did he open a case? I mean anyone can say anything. He is the only witness. This cannot be dealt with through the media. It’s a serious matter if indeed he alleges that. The first step is to open a police case,” Mabunda said.

“We can advise that this matter can be solved through the court of law if this is an exhortation case otherwise it is between them. The municipality cannot say anything in this matter. We, as the municipality, distance ourselves from this matter until it involves us,” Mabunda concluded.