Norah Mahlangu, the mayor of Tswaing Local Municipality in North West, has taken a one-month special leave after a nude video of her was leaked on a WhatsApp group belonging to her party’s provincial structures.
The video, which shows Mahlangu undressing and later engaging in expl!cit acts were widely circulated among members of the African National Congress (ANC) in the province.
Following the leak, Mahlangu reportedly fell into depression due to embarrassment and public scrutiny. She has since taken a leave of absence from work. Sunday World confirmed that she last appeared in public at the funeral of two municipal workers who d!ed while trying to unblock a drainage system in Agisanang township. At the funeral, she called for an investigation into their deaths.
Tswaing Speaker Sam Letlakane confirmed that Mahlangu was highly traumatised by the incident and needed time away from work.
It remains unclear how the video was leaked, but speculation suggests that she had initially sent it to a partner. Reports indicate that the individual may have attempted to extort money from her, and after she refused, the video was allegedly shared with political rivals to damage her reputation ahead of the next local government elections.