The IFP is considering placing Abaqulusi municipality speaker Michael Khumalo on suspension following his remarks at a funeral at the weekend that a family member of a late councillor would be hired to replace him in the council.
Khumalo was captured on video telling mourners that he had just instructed the municipal manager that they would hire a youth from the Mbatha family.
Phaphama Mbatha, a former councillor in the municipality, died in hospital after a car accident in September.
Since the video emerged on social media, Khumalo has been met with backlash, with the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) demanding action be taken against Khumalo.
The DA, which governs in Abaqulusi via a coalition, had also distanced itself from his utterances.
In a statement, IFP KwaZulu-Natal provincial chairperson Thami Ntuli said they shared the concerns raised by political parties and the public, adding they viewed them in serious light.
“It is against this background that we have therefore instituted a process that might result in the possible precautionary suspension of councillor Khumalo, pending the finalisation of an internal inquiry.
“We will report back to the public once the internal inquiry has been completed and will not hesitate to take decisive action, if deemed necessary,” Ntuli said.
KZN co-operative governance and traditional affairs MEC Sihle Zikalala said he would investigate Khumalo's utterances, saying he could not be left unchecked.
On Monday, Samwu KZN provincial secretary Nokubonga Dinga said Khumalo's comments were a clear indication how municipalities had been factionalised along political lines.
Dinga said as a union, they can’t allow a situation where municipal workers are forced to belong to a particular party to ensure that they are employed or keep their employment.
“As Samwu, we will be laying a complaint with the public protector against councillor Khumalo for his comments which to us constitutes an abuse of power, failure to adhere to the separations of powers between the council and the administration and the last complaint being a violation of human rights and freedom of association,” Dinga said.
Khumalo has since issued a public apology.
nkosin@sowetan.co.za
IFP considers suspending Abaqulusi speaker over 'nepotism' utterances at a councillor's funeral
Image: Supplied
The IFP is considering placing Abaqulusi municipality speaker Michael Khumalo on suspension following his remarks at a funeral at the weekend that a family member of a late councillor would be hired to replace him in the council.
Khumalo was captured on video telling mourners that he had just instructed the municipal manager that they would hire a youth from the Mbatha family.
Phaphama Mbatha, a former councillor in the municipality, died in hospital after a car accident in September.
Since the video emerged on social media, Khumalo has been met with backlash, with the SA Municipal Workers Union (Samwu) demanding action be taken against Khumalo.
The DA, which governs in Abaqulusi via a coalition, had also distanced itself from his utterances.
In a statement, IFP KwaZulu-Natal provincial chairperson Thami Ntuli said they shared the concerns raised by political parties and the public, adding they viewed them in serious light.
“It is against this background that we have therefore instituted a process that might result in the possible precautionary suspension of councillor Khumalo, pending the finalisation of an internal inquiry.
“We will report back to the public once the internal inquiry has been completed and will not hesitate to take decisive action, if deemed necessary,” Ntuli said.
KZN co-operative governance and traditional affairs MEC Sihle Zikalala said he would investigate Khumalo's utterances, saying he could not be left unchecked.
On Monday, Samwu KZN provincial secretary Nokubonga Dinga said Khumalo's comments were a clear indication how municipalities had been factionalised along political lines.
Dinga said as a union, they can’t allow a situation where municipal workers are forced to belong to a particular party to ensure that they are employed or keep their employment.
“As Samwu, we will be laying a complaint with the public protector against councillor Khumalo for his comments which to us constitutes an abuse of power, failure to adhere to the separations of powers between the council and the administration and the last complaint being a violation of human rights and freedom of association,” Dinga said.
Khumalo has since issued a public apology.
nkosin@sowetan.co.za
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