The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party says that although they have not received Mary Phadi’s letter accusing its deputy president, John Hlophe, of sexual harassment, they are taking the matter seriously and will look into it.
At the weekend, a letter dated 16 January 2025 written to party leader Jacob Zuma with Phadi’s signature circulated on social media.
MK PARTY RESPONDS TO SEXUAL HARASSMENT ALLEGATIONS
In an interview with Newzroom Afrika, the party’s former convenor in Mpumalanga Mary Phadi confirmed that she wrote the letter and that there are messages that can support her claim.
Phadi also said Zuma did not respond to the letter in time but she could tell that the allegations did not sit well with him.
On Monday, the party’s spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndhlela, told Newzroom Afrika that Hlophe insists that he didn’t send any sexually harassing messages to Phadi.
“The deputy president’s position is simple; no such messages were sent; that’s the first point. The second point is that even though that is the case, the deputy president will obviously take us into his confidence, and this is something that has sort of blown up in the media.
“So, we will then engage with Hlophe, you know, at the right time, but as I said, we take this matter seriously, and that’s what we need to focus on, but I think,” Ndhlela said.
MARY PHADI ACCUSED OF BEING ‘ROGUE’
As previously reported by The South African, in November 2024, the MK Party fired Phadi for alleged mismanagement of funds and hatching an assassination plot against her rival in the party. However, in December, the Mpumalanga High Court in Mbombela ruled in Phadi’s favour.
The court ordered Phadi to be reinstated as the convenor in the province, a member of the Mpumalanga legislature and party leader in the legislature. Instead, the MK Party appointed former Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) member of Parliament and impeached public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane.
During the interview Ndhlela said one of the things that has to be taken into consideration is that they are trying to stabilise the MK Party and they need to gear up for the 2026 local government elections.
“We cannot have a situation where we have rogue elements of individuals who don’t take instructions from leadership and this is exactly what’s happening here with Mary.
“Mary has been in defiance of the organisation. You can’t when recalled or requested to hand over accounts as though they’re your own personal piggy bank,” he said.
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