Ladysmith - The IFP-run Alfred Duma local municipality (Ladysmith) in northern KwaZulu-Natal says it has started probing one of its councillors for alleged sexual misconduct.
The probe comes days after a recording of the ward councillor started doing rounds, leaving the municipality red-faced and scrambling to salvage its reputation.
In the long recording which is now being shared via WhatsApp mainly in the political circles in the province, the councillor appears to be having sexual intercourse with the woman.
NEWS: The Alfred Duma (Ladysmith) local municipality said it is investigating the matter of a councillor who is alleged to have engaged in sexual acts with a female victim while promising her employment.
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It all started with a phone call between the councillor and the woman who complained that her contract in the municipality was about to end and she wanted to be employed permanently.
The 9:22 minutes long recording then ends with the councillor saying he was going to speak to the constituency head to make sure that the woman gets hired on a permanent basis.
He (name withheld as he has not been charged) is also overheard promising the woman a job after what he described as a nice sexual encounter.
Breaking his silence on Saturday, Zama Sibisi, the mayor of the municipality, said they take such matters of alleged misconduct seriously, hence they have started an investigation.
“The Alfred Duma Local Municipality has noted with great concern a voice note that is making the rounds on social media. The voice note is said to involve a councillor being explicitly involved in a sexual act with a female individual.
“In light of this, the municipality is currently conducting an internal investigation on the matter, in an attempt to identify the female victim in the clip,” he said.
Sibisi said he has reported the matter to the councillor’s political party – the IFP – and they re hoping that the party will invoke its processes and advise the municipality as such.
“As a municipality that has been outspoken against any kind of abuse against women, we find it very disturbing to find that people are being coerced into sexual acts for job opportunities.
“This municipality does not put its vacancies ‘up for sale’. We take the trust given to us by the people very seriously and we cannot hide this culprit, who is abusing the name of our municipality to conduct their self-serving behaviour.
“We strongly sympathise with the victim and condemn this shameful act in the strongest terms,” Sibisi said in a statement.
It is not clear for now who recorded the sexual act between the councillor and the victim, and for what purpose.
Also not clear is whether the victim has reported the matter to the police for investigation and prosecution of the councillor.
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