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Mpumalanga Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane has admitted guilt for her blooper of not wearing a mask during the funeral of Minister in the Presidency Jackson Mthembu, on Sunday.
On Monday night Mtshweni-Tsipane said she had deposed a statement of guilt at the Vosman police station at Emalahleni and accepted a fine for contravening the Disaster Management Act.
The premier caused a public outcry and was accused of being reckless when she appeared in videos and pictures not wearing a mask. She even hugged a few people. As she walked past Deputy President David Mabuza, ignored him when he signalled to her to put her mask on which was in her hand.
Mtshweni-Tsipane tested positive for Covid-19 in October and recovered following self-isolation at home.
Mpumalanga ANC acting chairperson, Mandla Ndlovu, was also seen briefly not wearing his mask.
The premier, who had claimed her mask was “somehow damaged” when she alighted her car at the cemetery, made an about-turn by admitting guilt.
Her spokesperson, Sibongile Mkani-Mpolweni, said: “She was oblivious of that when it fell. She thought it was intact as it was the case throughout.”
In her statement Mtshweni-Tsipane said she had reflected deeply on this momentary lapse and profusely regretted it. “I wish to take his opportunity once again apologise to his excellency, President Cyril Ramaphosa, the Deputy President David Mabuza, the Mthembu family, the people of Mpumalanga and the rest of the country. I should have known better as a public figure and more so attending a Covid-19 funeral,” she said.
Read: Open letter | Maybe there should be different laws for the ruling elite and ordinary citizens
Mtshweni-Tsipane said that she had written to Ramaphosa to apologise and had bought 1 000 masks to be distributed in Emalahleni as part of public education and awareness campaign to demonstrate the seriousness of Covid-19. She said she would also go into isolation for 14 days.
Premier must be punished like Ndabeni-Abrahams
Mpumalanga EFF chairperson, Collen Sedibe, said that the party would lay a charge against Mtshweni-Tsipane in Emalahleni on Tuesday.
“We do not trust her guilty plea. We want to open our case that we can follow closely until the end. She must have a criminal record like all the other 20 000 or so South Africans who have been charged for not wearing their masks in public,” Sedibe said.
He said that the party would write to Ramaphosa requesting him to punish her like he did Communications and Telecommunications Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams.
Read: Ndabeni-Abrahams pays fine for breaking lockdown rules
Ramaphosa placed Ndabeni-Abrahams on suspension for two months and docked a month’s salary after she violated the lockdown restrictions. Photos of her having lunch with former higher education and training deputy minister, Mduduzi Manana were shared on social media in April last year. The minister also paid a R1 000 fine.
Ndlovu’s apology
Ndlovu has also apologised.
“After laying our beloved Comrade Jackson Mthembu to rest, I immediately went straight to my car to leave for home. I then realised that I have an ANC flag in my car that I needed to leave behind. Regrettably, I took the flag to drop it with Comrade Lindiwe Ntshalintshali without a mask on. This is an incident I would like to profusely apologise for,” Ndlovu said.
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