Vuwani is a town in the Makhado Local Municipality within the Vhembe District Municipality of the Limpopo Province of South Africa.
Demarcation dispute
In 2015, the Municipal Demarcation Board decided to excise Mashau and Masakona settlements from Makhado, and merge them with the Malamulele, Tshikonelo, Mulenzhe, Pietboy, and Khakhanwa areas of the Thulamela Local Municipality in order to create a new municipality.
In 2016, residents dissatisfied with legal rulings that affirmed the Municipal Demarcation Board’s decision resorted to arson and vandalism of 30 schools over a four-month period, disrupting government services and schooling.
A resultant stay-away during the 2016 local elections depressed voter turnout, with only 1,600 voters participating, but the African National Congress (ANC) was nevertheless re-elected.
Destruction of government property and disruption of learning continued into April, 2017 and led to the death of two persons.
