‘Hlophe must be suspended with immediate effect’ – Phadi on sexual harrassment claims

Hlophe

Cape Town — Former uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party convenor in Mpumalanga, Mary Phadi, has called for the party’s deputy president, John Hlophe, to be suspended after she accused him of making sexual advances towards her.

In a letter written to MK Party leader, Jacob Zuma, Phadi said she wanted to clear the air over the recent events about her being victimised and the false accusations made against 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.

She said she had refused to give in to his attempts to spend a night with him on 4 August 2024, saying he had sent a text later that evening after a leadership meeting in Nelspruit. She refused and said it was the diplomatic drive to manage the situation.

She added that the vilification and propaganda against her was the consequence of her refusal and believed it was manufactured by Hlophe.

In an interview with Newzroom Afrika, Phadi said she was prepared to take legal action now that the matter has been made public.

“The reason we took MK to court was because of the allegations and propaganda that I misappropriated funds in MK, I’ve neglected internal members or I have created instability within the political party,” she said.

She said the case would help a lot of other women in future cases.

“I think it would assist a lot of women with the attacks they are already facing to say, ‘Why were you quiet? Why didn’t you report it on time?’ People always put you on a time frame for something that is not funny — this is not funny. Women need to be able to speak out, and leaders of any organisation must be able to say, ‘Hold on, why are we here?'” she said.

“He [Hlophe] must be suspended with immediate effect. The [same] way he wanted me to be suspended [over] allegations that do not exist, he needs to be suspended with immediate effect,” she added.

Phadi said she doesn’t need to convince anyone of the truth as the evidence speaks for itself, adding she has messages that prove her allegations.

“I don’t have to prove anything because it is personal. The messages he sent to me would be able to prove that. I don’t have to convince you to say ‘this has happened’. If you read the messages, you’d be able to tell that I had denied him (the opportunity) to meet with me and later within that month, you see such responses,” she said.

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Compiled by Matthew Petersen

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