It has been confirmed by both the City of Johannesburg and the ANC chief whip in the council Solly Mogase that Ward 67 councillor Refilwe Mazibuko is back at work after she was off sick since the beginning of the year.
This is after it was reported on 9 July that her ward had been without a councillor for months and North Eastern Tribune investigated.
When the Tribune contacted the office of the City’s speaker, Vasco da Gama, it was confirmed that the councillor had not been reporting for her duty.
The spokesperson for the speaker, Lillian Kolisang, told the Tribune that they only knew about Mazibuko’s sickness in May through Mogase.
She said the speaker met with Mogase after they had received concerns from the residents about their councillor claiming she is forever unavailable.
“The speaker then confronted ANC chief whip to establish the problem about Mazibuko and her absenteeism in the council,” said Kolisang.
“The speaker was then informed about her sickness but it was after he had received the complaints from the residents in her ward in Yeoville. We have now learned that she is back at work and we will soon engage her and her party on the issues pertaining to her ward soon.”
Mogase confirmed to the Tribune that he did meet with Da Gama on the matter but denied that they only reported that she was sick later following the concerns raised by the community. “We have records of the council where we can prove that we did indicate that Mazibuko was not well and will be absent for a while immediately we learned of her ordeal.
“I can confirm now that she is back at work and doing her job as the councillor for Ward 67.”
When contacted, Mazibuko said, “I’m not the spokesperson for the ANC and the [chief] whip…all I can confirm is that I am back at work.”
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