In May 2016, the Vuwani area of Limpopo erupted in violent protests against the Municipal Demarcation Board's decision to incorporate Vuwani into the newly created Collins Chabane Local Municipality. Residents — predominantly VhaVenda — objected to being placed under a municipality dominated by VaTsonga interests. The demarcation had been made without meaningful community consultation.
The violence that followed was shocking in its target: schools. Protesters torched over 30 schools, vandalised others, and intimidated communities across the area. In total, 102 schools were affected — either burned, vandalised, or closed due to intimidation. An estimated 52,827 pupils were directly impacted. The estimated repair and rebuild cost was R462 million — more than many municipalities' entire annual budgets.
The burning of schools — punishing children for the failures of adults — exposed the toxic intersection of ethnic politics, failed consultation processes, and community desperation. The Municipal Demarcation Board had created Collins Chabane Local Municipality from a split of Thulamela Local Municipality, incorporating Vuwani without adequately addressing the concerns of residents who did not want to be part of the new municipality.
The Limpopo High Court dismissed an application to set aside the MDB's decision, leaving residents with no legal recourse. Unlike Khutsong (2005), where the demarcation was eventually reversed after years of protest, Vuwani's incorporation into Collins Chabane stood. Some schools were still unrepaired as of 2018.
Vuwani stands as the most extreme example of demarcation-related violence destroying public infrastructure. The R462 million in damage — primarily to schools — represented not just financial loss but the destruction of educational opportunity for tens of thousands of children.