Mary Phadi, the president of the Truckers Association of South Africa (TASA) and a key figure in the trucking industry, has been booted out of the MK Party amid allegations that she hired hitmen to kill a rival and misused funds.
The MK Party announced Phadi’s dismissal, stating that after she ignored a request to voluntarily step down, the party took immediate action to terminate her membership.
Phadi is accused of hiring “inkabis” (hitmen) to assassinate General Tough Mdluli, a fellow MK Party member.
Mdluli claims he received death threats and has voice recordings that allegedly reveal plans to kill him.
He also accused Phadi of tampering with the MK Party’s provincial candidate list, ensuring her name appeared in the top spot.
Beyond the assassination plot, Phadi is also accused of misappropriating funds, which reportedly tarnished MK Party’s reputation.
Her leadership has come under scrutiny for failing to comply with the MK Party’s internal processes.
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The party didn’t mince words in their statement, saying the allegations were too serious to ignore. “The President and National High Command have revoked her membership with immediate effect. Letters have been sent to the Mpumalanga Provincial Legislature to confirm this action,” the party said.
Phadi’s dual role as the head of TASA has brought the trucking industry into the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
TASA is supposed to champion truckers’ rights and address challenges like rising costs and road safety, but this scandal could weaken its credibility.
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