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The African National Congress in KwaZulu-Natal has been flooded with emails and WhatsApp messages from concerned members of society.

This is after a female municipal worker lifted a lid on alleged multiple cases of sexual abuse  involving the Mayor of Zululand District Municipality, Cllr Thulasizwe Buthelezi.

We salute the woman who has mastered a courage to come forward to detail such a shocking sex scandal involving someone who styles himself as a Reverend.

The KZN Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs must urgently protect the whistleblower and many more others before they are victimized further. 

COGTA must deal decisively with the violation of the Code of Conduct for Councillors.

In addition, the Gender Machinery attached to the Office of the Premier should come closer to this matter and mobilize its structures.

The fact that this victim has used the social media to report such cases is a clear indication that the municipality do not have a whistle-blowing policy as prescribed by the law.

We further call on Chapter Nine institutions such as the SA Human Rights Commission, the Gender Commission and the Public Protector to launch a thorough and full scale investigations - using all laws available in our democratic country.

Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi has the opportunity to clear his name and demonstrate that he understands meaning of Women's Month.  Failing which he must be held accountability for his sexual misconduct and the abuse of public office.

Early this year, we issued a statement warning the public that episodes of sex scandals involving IFP  councillors were erupting like a volcano in municipalities governed by the party in KwaZulu-Natal.

It seems as if nothing has changed.

The following IFP sex predators were implicated in sexual misconducts:-

●Former IFP Mayor of Abaqulusi Local Municipality, Cllr Mncedisi Maphisa. He was dismissed for sexual abuse and other cases of misconduct after sustained pressure from the ANC. He was found not fit to hold public office;

●IFP councillor Abbass Warasally of Ward 20 in Alfred Duma Local Municipality was arrested and suspended for jobs for sex scandal. He was quietly reinstated by the party despite overwhelming evidence against him.

●Another IFP councillor in KwaDukuza Local Municipality was arrested and suspended after impregnating a 14-year old school girl.

The councillor slept with the child and offered her money ranging from R100. He also promised to build a house for the family. 

This councillor was arrested for statutory rape but was later reinstated quietly by the IFP leadership.

Reverend Thulasizwe  Buthelezi and many other IFP sex predators are lurking in the shadows of municipal offices with their roving eyes and pointing their middle fingers at female municipal workers.

The IFP is not only protecting their Sex Predators but effectively sending a message that they are an organization of sex predators.

Finally, we are calling upon ANC Women’s League and all women organizations in the province to take up this matter and act decisively in the interests of all women.

Issued by the African National Congress in KwaZulu-Natal