Johannesburg – The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) on Tuesday announced that Cllr Mletheni Ndlovu, Cllr Thokozani Sokhela, and Cllr Mhawukeleni Sokhela have been placed on suspension from party activities and directed to take leave of absence from municipal duties.
The mayor of Msinga in the Umzinyathi District of KwaZulu-Natal was arrested Friday night. Mayor Ndlovu was arrested after law enforcers allegedly caught him with illegal guns.
The IFP said its NEC was “briefed on the arrest of the Mayor of Msinga Municipality, Cllr Mletheni Ndlovu, as well as Cllr Thokozani Sokhela and Cllr Mhawukeleni Sokhela” at its meeting on Monday.
In a statement released by Mkhuleko Hlengwa National Spokesperson, the IFP said: “Cllr Mletheni Ndlovu, Cllr Thokozani Sokhela, and Cllr Mhawukeleni Sokhela are directed to take a leave of absence from all municipal activities and responsibilities with immediate effect and are hereby placed on suspension from all party activities”.
The statement added: “Deputy Mayor of Msinga, Cllr Thenjiwe Busisiwe Mbatha, will act as Mayor”.
The IFP said the Speaker of Council is to ensure that affected Wards, namely Wards 4 and 14, continue to receive services and access to Councillors during the period of the leave of absence of those affected.
“The Political Oversight Committee (POC) is to communicate these decisions and brief the NEC on the material circumstances of these arrests, noting that at this point they have not been linked to the tragic assassination of Cllr Magubane,” said the statement.
“The POC will report back to the NEC at its next meeting.”
The IFP said, as previously indicated, it reiterates that it relies on the South Africa Police Service-led investigation on this matter.
“The IFP will accordingly take decisions on the basis of the due processes of the investigation, as per the recommendations of the National Council Task Team that was dispatched to investigate this matter,” said the statement.
