SEDIBENG.- A recording of a voice, said to be that of Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) Speaker, Maipato Tsokolibane, where profanities are uttered, recently left community members baffled as to what exactly is happening in the ELM.
In the recording a woman is infuriated by being called a ‘Magogo’ (grandmother).
It is not known who released the recording to the public domain, and it is also not clear who the woman in the recording was referring to when making the harsh statements. What was clear, however, is her fury at being called a ‘Magogo’ and being accused of corruption.
The woman can be heard saying that she is not a Gogo and has worked as a Principal for 35 years.
“Who is their Gogo? I went to school, I have my own money, and I have my own houses that I did not buy through theft from the Sedibeng Municipality or Emfuleni. My shoes are worth R30 000. I buried my child with R200 000. I filled the George Thabe Stadium alone to bury my child, no one helped me. They did nothing, they did not even send flowers. These primary school dropouts must go get their uneducated mothers to come to lead the municipality. This municipality is in this state because of these rubbishes,” are some of the words the woman utters on the recording.
A statement issued by Stanley Gaba, who is the Manager for Communications and Marketing at the ELM, last week said that Tsokolibane conveys her deepest regret over her involvement in “an unfortunate audio recording currently circulating on social media”.
Gaba said that in the recording, Tsokolibane was participating in a robust and heated debate with fellow councillors of the municipality over allegations of corruption.
“The altercation was about the Speaker’s insistence for the recommendations of the forensic report by Comperio Consulting into allegations of corruption in the municipality to be implemented. The incident is highly regrettable, and the Speaker profusely apologizes for the unfortunate sentiments sheared in her outburst,” said Gaba.
In the statement Tsokolibane is quoted as saying that as a Speaker of Council, she has always been professional.
“I hold myself to moral and ethical leadership, and it is in this spirit that I apologize unreservedly for my role in the audio clips currently circulating on digital platforms. I am a political head of the legislative arm of council and preside over Council meetings ensuring compliance with the Councillor’s code of conduct and rules and orders. I apologize to all residents of the municipality for my conduct,” said Tsokolibane.
Who is a ‘Magogo’?
In the statement Tsokolibane is quoted as saying that as a Speaker of Council, she has always been professional.
