By Wendy Magagula

MAFUTSENI: Ethel Ndlela, a retired teacher who was leading the pro-democracy protest at Mafutseni blasted Education Minister Lady-Howard Mabuza describing her as a disgrace to women leadership.

This was during the delivery of a petition at Mafutseni Inkhundla on Saturday as part of the ongoing protests across the country in demand for democratic reforms and social services. 

“We last saw you on elections day, we thought we had elected a woman who had experienced labour pains, a woman who would prioritise the needs of the youth. But you have destroyed this country, as we speak, a large number of qualified youth is languishing at home without jobs while there is a shortage of teachers country wide. What’s even more painful is that the pensioner who is leading the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) told our children to consider farming. We are tired of this selfish Tinkhundla government, it’s time for multiparty democracy”, she said.

When reached for comments, Lady Howard Mabuza, the Mafutseni MP who doubles as the Minister of Education said it was not true that she last visited her Constituency on elections day adding that she wasn’t in a position to comment on the affairs of government since she was on sick leave.

“I’m always there, and just recently I was distributing face masks to the schools within my Constituency. In politics people will always talk no matter how good you are, let me not comment on the issue of the employment of teachers since I’m on sick leave”, she said.