Johannesburg – Amathole District Municipality has confirmed that its suspended head of security Phele Phithi lives in a mayoral house meant to be occupied by its Executive Mayor Nceba Ndikinda.
The municipality said this was a temporary arrangement to guard the house during renovations that were meant to be completed in the middle of January.
Amathole said in a media statement on Wednesday, Phithi was suspended as an employee of the municipality following the violent dragging, kicking, and screaming of the municipal senior councillor Nanziwe Rulashe by a group of bouncers instructed by Phithi at the Amathole offices.
Phithi said she was acting on the instructions of Amathole Municipal Manager Mthandeki Mnyimba.
The video footage of that incident went viral on social media and was received with wild condemnation and outrage.
Phithi and four male suspects known as security guards outsourced by Amathole from a private company made a brief appearance at East London Magistrate Court on Wednesday for the charges of Assault and malicious damage to property.
Watch the viral video below:
Nanziwe Rulashe (EC Amathole District Councilor) is dragged out of office pic.twitter.com/3649HGSwMb
— Izwe Lethu (@LandNoli) January 25, 2022
They were released at R500 bail each and their matter was postponed to 11 March.
On Thursday the ANC Women’s League, trade union movements, EFF, and civic movements that are fighting against gender-based violence held a solidarity march to the offices of Amathole District Municipality.
During the speeches, gender activist Monwabisi Mahodi said Phithi was not suspended and that she lives in a mayoral house in Nahoon suburb in East London.
He said the media statement was issued to mislead the public.
Mahodi said: “We are aware that the lady in a white dress who has been reported as suspended, she’s not actually suspended. She is in a mayoral house at Nahoon. There is no suspension letter that has been issued by Amathole District Municipality.”
But ADM Spokesperson Nonceba Madikizela-Vuso said there was no truth to Mahodi claims of non-suspension.
“She has been given a letter of suspension proof of which cannot be made available to you as it is an internal matter,” said Madikizela-Vuso.
She acknowledged her staying in a mayoral house but said it was a temporary arrangement during renovation which ended mid January.
“ADM made internal arrangements to have Ms Phiti as the Acting Head of Security to temporarily safe guard the house, to prepare it for the newly elected Executive Mayor by occupying it in order to save costs that would have been paid to a security company.
In light of her suspension, she is currently preparing to vacate the premises,” said Madikizela-Vuso.
All the present organisations called for immediate suspension of Mnyimba.
Nanziwe’s uncle Mvuzo Rulashe said the incident left the family traumatised and outraged.
He said: “The people that were dragging Nanzi acted like she was not a living person with parents and had children of her own. We call on those bouncers to come and try what they did to her on us. Even this Mnyimba we’ve been hearing people talking about we want to see him. We are not scared of them.”
Ndikinda said as the executive mayor he has no powers to suspend Mnyimba.
He said, the investigation he has commissioned on the matter will be tabled in the council and the decision to suspend will be made by the council.
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