Africa-Press – South-Africa. The IFP suspended its mayor of the Abaqulusi municipality, Mncedisi Maphisa, and one of its councillors in the Alfred Duma municipality in separate incidents, in which leaked recordings implicated both men in ostensibly scandalous activities.
“The mayor of Abaqulusi is suspended from the party with immediate effect and is directed to take leave from municipal duties with immediate effect,” said IFP spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa.
He said the deputy mayor of Abaqulusi would act as mayor “with immediate effect”.
“The Alfred Duma municipality councillor implicated in the audio clip is suspended with immediate effect from the party and is directed to take leave as a councillor with immediate effect,” Hlengwa said.
He said the Speaker of the municipality was directed to ensure that “service delivery is not adversely impacted in the affected ward”.
“The affected councillors will appear before the NEC at a special meeting scheduled to sit no later than 5 March,” he said.
Hlengwa added that the IFP “reaffirmed the rights of women in the workplace to perform their jobs free from harassment and intimidation”.
“The IFP considers these matters to be of a very serious nature and, as such, it is receiving the priority attention of the party through investigation.”
Councillor misdeeds
In an explicit leaked voice recording, the IFP councillor is heard negotiating a position at the municipality with a worker.
Shortly after the conversation, rummaging can be heard and, after a brief period, the councillor is heard saying he completed a sex act quickly.
News24 reached out to the councillor on Monday, but he declined to comment on the matter.
In a separate incident, the mayor was accused of overstepping his political role by making demands of officials in Abaqulusi, in a five-minute leaked recording.
In it, he is heard calling for the discontinuation of a service provider and appeared to make derogatory comments about females who work for the municipality.
In the recording, Maphisa used a Zulu analogy, suggesting he was the main bull in the kraal and the “main man here”.
In the analogy, he stated he was the only bull with balls and, as such, all cows only have the authority to mate with him.
In the recording, Maphisa also commented on the work of a contractor.
Maphisa last week defended his comments, saying he was reclaiming his position as leader and did not mean to offend anyone.
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