A FORMER communications manager in the Jozini Local Municipality has revealed that she was targeted and victimised by the current sitting mayor after she did not give in to his demand for money in exchange for “job protection“.
Sinenhlanhla Mthembu has claimed that, at the instruction of IFP mayor Mfananaye Mathe, municipal manager Jaconia Mngomezulu removed her from her position, which she held from 2019 until June 2022, when her position was advertised without her knowledge.
Mthembu said it all started when she received a text message from Mathe with an attached Capitec bank card that had an account number and the name of the account holder, to which she was supposed to make a cash deposit.
She claimed that after a few days, when she did not send money to the account, Mathe tried to call her and when she didn’t answer, Mathe sent a text message saying “delete my number and I will delete yours”.
Backing up her claims, Mthembu provided the Sunday Independent with screenshots of text messages between Mathe and herself. She also provided a recording of a conversation she had with Mngomezulu, informing him of all her problems.
In a more than 60-minute-long voice recording, she is heard explaining to Mngomezulu that she is being victimised at work, and that her office has been taken away from her.
“I do not have an office, I keep getting death threats and I have previously reported this to you. I am always belittled in meetings as the mayor uses every platform to discredit my name.
“I called you and told you I will no longer attend events where the mayor is speaking because he is always embarrassing me,” said Mthembu in a recorded conversation with Mngomezulu.
In response, Mngomezulu can be heard telling Mthembu to continue reporting for work even when there were issues.
Mthembu responded, stating that since she had been removed from her office, she had been forced to park her car under the tree, where she sat the whole day since she no longer had an office.
In the recording, Mngomezulu responded and said: “So what do you think I should do?”, to which Mthembu said “I should report to you as the municipal manager because it was you that removed me from the office. I call and text you but you never take my calls nor respond to my messages.”
In the same conversation, Mthembu explained to Mngomezulu that she was being targeted because of internal IFP factions.
“I am being targeted because my father is seen to be on Hlabisa’s faction. This is why I am being victimised here… If you remember very well, I kept telling you that the mayor keeps bothering me as he continuously asks for money,” said Mthembu.
Mthembu is heard on the recording probing Mngomezulu about her original contract, in which stated that she was communications manager but was removed and placed in a junior post which she was instructed to accept but did not do so.
She further stated that when Mathe became mayor, he stood up in one of the gatherings commending her work and stating that she was competent, but things changed when she did not give him the money he requested. Mngomezulu responded that she was strong not to reveal to the public the information about the mayor.
“You are brave, for you to get calls threatening you but never speak about it is bravery … had you died and your parents received this information and messages, I wonder what they would say or do.
“Through it all, you said let me suffer but protect this information. I am commending what you have done, as for me, I fear the information you have,” Mngomezulu responded to Mthembu.
Explaining to the Sunday Independent, Mthembu said the victimisation and lack of protection forced her to seek therapy due to the distress caused by both the mayor and municipal manager.
“The MM himself acknowledged on the recorded conversation that my job performance was not in question. Rather, it was the mayor’s vendetta against me for not providing him with money.
“Furthermore, the placement and migration policy was violated, as detailed in clause 7.2, which mandates consultation with relevant unions before any employee displacement or redeployment. This protocol was disregarded, and I was given a non-existent position without due process.
“They tried to place me as manager: community development, a point that is not even on the organogram. In October 2022 I was never charged. That is not true. The placement letter that he is referring to and claims was signed on March, 1, 2023 is non-existent.
“The only placement letter I received is dated July 8, 2022 and it’s an addendum of the original appointment letter. I have attached (it) so you can see and understand. It even states that the change is effective from July, 11, 2022.
“I have also attached my response to this letter. I don’t know where he is getting the date March 1, 2023. Which he also claims was the last day I was at work. The recording between him and I is dated May 5, 2023.”
Contacted for comment, Mngomezulu said that Mthembu had never been fired by the Jozini Local Municipality and that she was still an employee of the municipality.
“With regard to the allegations/demands by the mayor requesting money, I am not aware of those demands. They were never brought to my attention. Miss Mthembu only showed me a message which she claims it was from the mayor which reads ‘uthela kubani’ (who are you sending it to?).
“I asked the mayor about the above message and the mayor denied that he sent the message in question to Miss Mthembu and demanded proof hereof.”
On the removal from Mthembu’s original position as communications manager, Mngomezulu said the placement and migration policy were adhered to.
“Firstly, just to mention a background about Miss Mthembu together with her former assistant manager Mr Ndlovu’s matter, it was mainly due to absenteeism and their office would be dysfunctional until the municipality decided to migrate them. In which, during October 2022, they were both informed and charged.”
Part two of this article will be published next week.