Just when you thought you had heard it all…

Siyasanga Mbambani has been suspended from her position as an assistant director of media production in the presidential unit of the Government and Communications Information System (GCIS).

The reason for her suspension is, according to IOL, her “alleged skimpy dressing and seductive conduct in front of President Jacob Zuma and his deputy, Cyril Ramaphosa”.

Mbambani is fighting back:

The GCIS suspended her for “violating departmental policies by quoting the department on social media without authorisation”.

Mbambani, 27, alleges that [Elmond Jiyane, the deputy director of media production at GCIS] had on several occasions falsely accused her of making sexual overtures towards Zuma and Ramaphosa by being scantily dressed and flashing her “full bums” and breasts at the pair while taking pictures of them during official events.

Jiyane, she alleged, also accused her of wearing miniskirts and leggings while on official assignments.

She views these accusations “as sexist, emotional and sexual harassment”.

Here she is pictured with Ramaphosa:

More details on how this one unfolded:

She cited a post State of the Nation address cocktail party in 2015 in Cape Town, when she had taken a selfie with Zuma.

Jiyane allegedly told her: “You asked to take a photo with the president, and you grabbed him closer, he pointed at the breast area”

Mbambani said Jiyane had made the accusations during a departmental meeting in Pretoria.

Mbambani denied this outright, and said it was the president who had asked to take a picture with her.

She also denied exposing herself to the president…

Mbambani further alleged the accusations were a result of a power struggle between her and Jiyane over the coverage of events presided over by Zuma and Ramaphosa.

She wrote, in an email that she sent to Ramaphosa pleading for intervention, that Zuma had once told her in front of Jiyane that “you (Jiyane) must be careful because the young woman is going to take over”.

Contacted for comment, Jiyane on Saturday said: “These wild allegations were dismissed by the department and I was found not guilty of these manufactured lies.”

Any chance of a day going by where we don’t read about something outrageous from the top echelons of government?

[source:iol]