Smears abound as ANC’s Musa Dladla region holds conference

TWO days before the ANC’s Musa Dladla region hosts its crucial regional elective conference, factions are upping the ante in smearing their opponents and potential contenders.

The region, the fourth largest in KwaZulu-Natal, is to host its conference at Meet Mekaar resort outside Richards Bay over the weekend.

In the upcoming elective conference, Thembeka Mchunu, the wife of Cyril Ramaphosa loyalist, Senzo Mchunu, will be contesting against a slate led by former chair Mdu Mhlongo.

Mchunu is leading a group that includes Tholi Gwala as her deputy chairperson and Lindo Phungula, the immediate past district mayor of King Cetshwayo, as regional treasurer.

In the last regional leadership, Mchunu (Thembeka) was the deputy regional chairperson under the chairpersonship of Mhlongo, the former mayor of uMhlathuze Municipality (Richards Bay-Empangeni).

Yesterday, the Daily News received a call from a woman who asked to remain anonymous and who claimed that one of the men set to contest one of the top five regional positions is facing serious allegations of sexual assault.

“He is accused of sexually assaulting women at his workplace and his employer is investigating him. There are several cases that have been pressed against him,” the woman told the Daily News.

The woman further alleged that the man, who cannot be named and who is set to contest this weekend, was a known sexual abuser.

However, when asked to produce some evidence, like police case numbers, she said she did not have any as she only heard about the accusations from ANC members in the region.

Musa Dladla region includes towns like Empangeni, Richards Bay, Eshowe and Melmoth.

The Daily News contacted several sources in the region to try to verify the claims, but it could not find concrete evidence.

One source in the region said he heard about the claims and they started circulating immediately after the man signalled his intention to contest.

“I heard about that from other members in the region, but no one has ever produced evidence to back up the claims of sexual abuse.

“That is all that I know about the allegations against the comrade,” said the source.

The contender who is being accused of sexual harassment did not respond when approached about the matter.