Africa-Press – South-Africa. Former AbaQulusi Local Municipality mayor Mncedisi Maphisa has been found guilty of contravening the councillors’ code of conduct after he meddled in employment and tender processes and made a comment with sexual undertones that put a female colleague’s marriage at risk.
A special ethics committee probed claims that the former IFP mayor told subordinates not to employ anyone without consulting him first and asked officials to axe a colleague within a week.
In a leaked audio recording of a meeting in February, Maphisa could be heard telling officials that he was the only “bull with balls” and that he “mates with all the other cows”.
He alternated between English and isiZulu when he voiced his displeasure at officials’ failure to consult him about contracts and said: ” … Here, we hire people without consulting the mayor. I want us to close that chapter because when people are hired today without consulting me, it will be inhuman[e] if I press you to ask, ‘Where are these people coming from?’ … Because you hired them.”
He added that “everything happens” without consultation with him.
There was also a complaint that Maphisa made similar comments at a crucial integrated development planning road show when he said that he was the only “bull” with the authority to mate with other cows.
The special ethics committee’s report has been adopted and approved in a bipartisan agreement comprising 23 councillors.
Maphisa and three other councillors did not testify before the panel, the report stated.
In a video statement in February, Maphisa said he meant that he needed to be consulted with regards to recruitment so that the municipality did not end up with a bloated organogram.
“Ms Dlamini explained to the committee that as a woman who is a director, she was speechless, did not take kindly [to the remarks] and was not happy when the former mayor, who is in the same age group as her son, [directed] a message to her [that] ‘yimi kuphela inkunzi enamasende, akekho umuntu esengake ngamcela ngathi akazongikhwelisa, onke lamankazana akulenkambi, yimi engiwakhwelayo’,” the report stated.
The committee recommended that KwaZulu-Natal Cogta MEC Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi should suspend Maphisa and Deputy Mayor Mandla Mazibuko for 24 months.
They are prevented from occupying exco positions or any position in the municipality.
Two other IFP councillors who failed to testify received 12-month suspensions.
IFP spokesperson and MP Mkhuleko Hlengwa said: “This was only brought to the attention of the party yesterday (30 May) and therefore the matter is receiving the due attention of the party.”
The ANC in the Mzala Nxumalo region, which falls under the AbaQulusi municipality, described Maphisa as a “sex predator” and said he needed to be axed from office.
ANC regional secretary Ntokozo Nxumalo added: “Today, as the ANC, we feel vindicated that after thorough investigation, the special ethics committee investigation has found him guilty of using an offensive language and for the violation of the code of conduct for councillors.
“We salute all councillors for siding with the ANC, despite representing different political parties. IFP councillors and the party members have informed us that Maphisa and other councillors felt untouchable as they belonged to a dominant faction within the IFP senior leadership.
“Finally, as the ANC, we have not changed our position. We will always support all councillors who are determined to expose the rot in the corruption-riddled Zululand District Municipality under the IFP.”
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