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Senior Reporter
VICTORIA Falls Municipality Director of Housing and Community Services, Thabani Mhlanga has died. He was 50. A relative said Mhlanga died on Wednesday afternoon at a Bulawayo hospital where he was being treated. “We can confirm that we were advised by his cousin that he passed on yesterday afternoon though we haven’t received much detail from the family.

“All we can say for now is that he was off duty as he was recuperating because he has been not well for some time,” said the local authority’s Acting Town Clerk Phillip Ndlovu.

Mhlanga, who was nicknamed “Magaiva” by residents because of his free character and his astute way of dealing with housing complaints, joined Victoria Falls Municipality as a director in 2000, a position he held until his death.

He was also the national chairperson of the National Directors Forum, a grouping of urban councils’ directors tasked with spearheading housing issues countrywide.

Ndlovu said Mhlanga’s death had robbed the council of an able director whose replacement would be difficult to find.
“He was the man spearheading Mfelandawonye project that is providing houses to residents in our town,” added Ndlovu.

Born in Mzingwane on October 28, 1964, Mhlanga was a holder of a Masters of Philosophy degree and a graduate certificate in education.
Residents of Victoria Falls also received the news of his death with great shock.