Durban — The KwaZulu-Natal Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi has announced her decision to initiate the removal process of former Abaqulusi Local Municipality mayor Mncedisi Maphisa as a councillor.
Concurring with the Ethics Committee recommendations, the MEC wrote to Maphisa informing him of her decision.
The Special Ethics Committee report found Maphisa, who is an IFP member, and another three IFP councillors guilty of misconduct and violating the code of conduct but the four are expected to continue in their positions since they have appealed the Ethics Committee findings.
Municipal manager Zwelihle Dlamini said that because of the appeal all four councillors will attend the council meeting on Tuesday.
“The three councillors except Maphisa will remain in their executive committee (Exco) since they have lodged an appeal against the findings. Maphisa will remain an ordinary councillor because he resigned from Exco,” said Dlamini.
The investigation on Maphisa was prompted by an incident during a municipal roadshow meeting, where Maphisa had allegedly used offensive language which came to the attention of Sithole-Moloi.
A leaked audio recording of the meeting went viral on social media, exposing the mayor’s disturbing remarks.
The Ethics Committee recommended that Maphisa be dismissed as a councillor.
The Ethics Committee also recommended that the deputy mayor Mandla Mazibuko be suspended from Exco for 24 months while the other two councillors would be suspended for 12 months.
In the recording the then mayor had referred to himself as, “the only bull in the kraal” and claimed exclusive authority to engage in inappropriate relationships with female municipal workers.
Additionally, he instructed senior municipal workers to disregard legal recruitment processes, asserting his sole authority to hire and fire employees.
The three councillors’ sin was that they refused to cooperate with the investigation.
Upon learning of this incident, Sithole-Moloi wrote to the Speaker of Abaqulusi municipality requesting a report on the actions taken against Maphisa. Consequently, a Special Ethics Committee was established to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter.
Last month, the Special Ethics Committee presented its findings, which were voted on and endorsed by the councillors.
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Daily News