News24 reports that Nonkululeko Maphisa, the wife of sacked IFP Abaqulusi Local Municipality mayor Mncedisi Maphisa, allegedly lied about her work experience to secure a position as director of corporate services in the eMadlangeni Local Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal.

She was appointed to the position despite allegedly having fewer than five years' worth of the requisite work experience. She took office in her current position in July 2022. A report by an independent researcher Maxwell Nzuza claims that Maphisa falsified her documents. Nzuza also found that Maphisa only has three years of experience, not five. In an apparent attempt to clear her name, Maphisa shared with News24 a document showing that she was an assistant manager for legal services at Ulundi Local Municipality from 1 January 2017 to 6 March 2018. But a letter written by the then-director of corporate services at Ulundi municipality Zweli Dlamini, refutes Maphisa's claim. Dlamini is now a municipal manager at the IFP-run Abaqulusi Local Municipality, where he is facing possible removal in an unrelated issue. It is not clear why Nzuza investigated Maphisa or who gave him the mandate to do so, but his report is given credence by the fact that eMadlangeni is now investigating the matter. The municipality said Cogta brought the matter to its attention, using the information emanating from the Nzuza report.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Soyiso Maliti at News24 (subscriber access only)

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