MK Party leader in Mpumalanga, Mary Phadi, is being probed by police following allegations that she hired hitmen to kill her provincial rival in the organisation, General Tough Mdluli.
Phadi is a renowned businesswoman and president of the Truckers Association of South Africa.
Mdluli confirmed to Sunday World that he was forced to open a criminal case against Phadi at the Nelspruit police station this week.
“I can confirm that I opened a case against Mary with the police after I received a number of death threats and voice recordings where a plot to kill me was discussed,” Mdluli said.
Mdluli also accused Phadi of tampering with the MK Party provincial list from Mpumalanga. “She doctored our provincial list and put herself at number one and we kept quiet because we aren’t interested in leadership positions but building the party. And now she wants me dead,” he added.
Mdluli said he couldn’t give more details as the police were investigating
A former deputy MK Party convenor in Mpumalanga, Themba Mnisi, who used to work closely with Phadi, deposed an affidavit to the police and also submitted a voice recording alleging how Phadi recruited people to come to the legislature and boo Mdluli on the day of the
swearing in of members in the Mpumalanga legislature.
Phadi can be heard in the recording saying that she wants to show Mdluli that “he is nothing”.
In the affidavit seen by Sunday World, Mnisi states that on “14 June 2024 I was with Ms Mary Phadi… planning to organise taxis to boo other comrades on the day of swearing in at the Mpumalanga legislature not to recognise them”.
Mnisi claims another taxi was organised with people who were coming to cheer for Phadi when she was sworn in.
In the recording, it can be heard how they also wanted to recruit “slay queens” who would be wearing “MK T-shirts and bum shorts” to also come and do the ululations and praise singing. But things didn’t go as planned because Mnisi broke ranks and told people not to boo anyone.
In his affidavit, Mnisi added: “I wrote a resignation letter to the co-ordinator on the 26 July 2024 seeing that I can’t be held accountable for conspiracy and to clear my name as a good standing member of MK in Mpumalanga.”
This week, Mnisi told Sunday World he had deposed the affidavit and secretly recorded the “conspiracy” meeting and had submitted it to the police.
Mpumalanga police spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdluli confirmed there was a case opened against “a female
person” who Sunday World understands to be Phadi. Phadi told Sunday World that her lawyers advised her not to make any comment because the case is at a sensitive stage. “The case is still at the sensitive stage, I was advised by my lawyers not to comment,” she said.
