MK Party addresses sexual allegations against John Hlophe

by Staff Bona

The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has addressed allegations of sexual misconduct made by its former Mpumalanga convenor, Mary Phadi, against the party’s deputy president, John Hlophe.

In a letter to MK Party leader Jacob Zuma, Mary claimed that John made unwanted sexual advances towards her.

“I would like to put it on record that these accusations have been escalating since the Deputy President (Comrade John Hlophe) made sexual advances towards me that I did not appreciate,” she said.

In an interview with Newzroom Afrika, MK spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndhlela, said Mary was not an innocent person in this matter, as she has had a history of wielding guns and intimidating people during party meetings, which ultimately led to her arrest for allegedly plotting an assassination.

Nhlamulo said John was among a team of party delegates who were sent to Mpumalanga to deal with the party’s internal issues and dynamics relating to Mary.

In addressing the allegations against John, Nhlamulo said the party would deal with the issue and allegations made by Mary.

“This is a sensitive matter and the MK leadership takes such matters very seriously. It is sensitive in terms of the challenges we face as a society from a GBV perspective, but also sensitive politically as this is the Deputy President,” he said.

Nhlamulo said he has not seen the letter sent by Mary but if that is the case, the party would take it seriously.

“Going back to the seriousness of the matter, we take this matter very seriously and we will look into it,” he said.

Nhlamulo said that John would privately inform the party whether Mary’s allegations were true, and the party would address the matter with him at an appropriate time.

WATCH FULL INTERVIEW BELOW:

 

First published by African Insider

Compiled by Matthew Petersen

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