Mtubatuba Speaker Shezi escapes discipline as kids crash municipal car twice

By Celani Sikhakhane

• Jabulile Shezi, Speaker of the IFP-led Inkosi Mtubatuba Local Municipality, has not been disciplined after two crashes involving a municipal vehicle allegedly driven by her children.

• Shezi denies the claims, saying her bodyguards, whom she calls her “children,” were driving, and that both have since been fired.

Jabulile Shezi, Speaker of the IFP-led Inkosi Mtubatuba Local Municipality in northern KwaZulu-Natal, has not faced any disciplinary action after her children allegedly crashed a municipal vehicle for the second time this year.

Scrolla.Africa has been reliably told this is the second accident involving Shezi’s children illegally using the municipal vehicle. The first crash happened in May, and the most recent one last month. Alcohol was reportedly found inside the vehicle at the scene of the latest accident.

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Sources say Municipal Manager Thamsanqa Xulu has been reluctant to act against Shezi, who is said to be untouchable within the municipality. Mayor Mxolisi Mthethwa confirmed the incident but declined to comment further, referring questions to Xulu.

Xulu could not be reached for comment.

Communications officer Nonhlakanipho Shinga said she was in a meeting with auditors.

Shezi denied giving the municipal vehicle to her children. She said the vehicle was being driven by her bodyguard, Zamani Buthelezi, at the time of the accident.

“The vehicle was driven by one of my bodyguards, whom I had sent to Mtubatuba to drop off some documents,” she said.

Shezi said her bodyguards are referred to as her “children” because they work closely together. She said the bodyguard involved in the latest crash has since been fired, as was the bodyguard driving during the May incident. She said claims that she gave the vehicle to her children are unfounded and politically motivated.

A party insider, who asked to remain anonymous, disputed Shezi’s account, saying she was not telling the truth about either incident.

“In the latest incident, the car was driven by her children, and they were drinking alcohol, since alcohol was found inside the vehicle at the accident scene. Even in the first incident in May, it was her children who were driving the municipal vehicle,” the insider said.

Pictured above: The municipal vehicle crashed by the children of the Speaker of Mtubatuba Local Municipality; alcohol was found inside the car.

Image source: Supplied