Sheila Senkubuge Biography
Sheila Senkubuge has resigned from her position days after she was placed on special leave. She is accused of having sexual relations with Tshwane mayor Steven Mokgalapa in the officer and sharing sensitive information about colleagues in the metro.
#TshwaneCouncil former MMC of Roads & Transport Sheila Senkubuge who is implicated in #TheSexInCity audio tape scandal with the Mayor Stevens Mokgalapa has resigned with immediate effect. Mokgalapa remains on special leave. #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/gdPedLtWhx
— Sipho Stuurman (@Sipho_Stuurman) November 30, 2019
In his resignation letters seen by EWN, Senkubuge thanks the DA for giving him the opportunity to serve as a black and younger MMC.
Mokgalapa and Senkubuge have denied being in a romantic relationship.
The mayor has described a filtered audio recording that is believed to be that of the couple discussing confidential information about their colleagues and participating in sexual relations as blackmail.
John Moody, of the district attorney, said: “I also believe that a private citizen has filed criminal charges that he could be under the control of the voters … That is for the IEC to handle.”
Sheila Senkubuge Resign
Apparently Sheila Senkubuge is claiming to be born in the Eastern Cape yet she can’t speak any South African language except English. pic.twitter.com/2GM9Uy84xf
— John Mphatsoe (@JohnMphatsoe) November 30, 2019
In her four page resignation letter, Senkubuge said she was stepping down as MMC and as PR Councillor and noted there had been attempts to “vilify” her and remove focus from her work in office.
“In light of recent events, and despite the many successes, it has become clear that attempts to vilify me are taking focus away from the purpose of my role in office. This will in turn inevitably affect service delivery to our residents”, she said.
“Therefore, as much as it is with regret that I tender my resignation with immediate effect, I do so in order to not betray the spirit, the struggle and the sacrifice that our forebears made and the charge they gave us, which is to always put our people first, as articulated in the Batho Pele principles.”
Stevens Mokgalapa ‘special leave’
On Sunday, November 24, 2019, a 30-minute audio clip was leaked online, which was supposedly a conversation between the couple. The recording suggested that there was a sexual relationship between them and immediately provoked calls from the ANC and the DA in Tshwane for the mayor of the DA to resign. They can also be heard mocking some of their colleagues.
South Africans are at it again. They say it was wrong for Sheila Senkubuge to become a councilor because she is a Ugandan. But nobody has the temerity to question this Italian lady Natasha Mazzone’s nationality. Her father is from Italy & her mother is from England. Self-hate! pic.twitter.com/qXnMclE6nc
— Xabiso Mtwana (@MtwanaXabiso) November 30, 2019
Following the controversy, Mokgalapa was placed on special leave and on Thursday, November 28, 2019, a motion of distrust against him failed. The district attorney appointed Abel Tau as interim mayor while the party reaches the bottom of the accusations.
