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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau

A sister-in-charge at Beitbridge District Hospital has been suspended after an audio in which she describes Venda people as one of the dumbest and uncultured tribe for voting for Zanu-PF in their numbers leaked.

Ms Senzeni Klassen was suspended from duty recently pending investigations.

Hospital authorities had to give in to pressure as residents were baying for her blood following the leaking of the audio.

In the audio, Ms Klassen, who is reported to be a close ally of the losing MDC-Alliance candidate for Beitbridge East constituency Ms Patricia Ndlovu, allegedly said the Venda tribe had one of the dumbest people who were only good as farm labourers, uneducated and promiscuous.

She chastised the elderly people in the rural community for voting for Zanu-PF and President Mnangagwa.

Ms Klassen insulted the local residents and the MP-elect with unprintable words.

Matabeleland South provincial medical director Dr Chipo Chikodzore said the matter was under investigations pending further action.

“Yes, I confirm receiving a report to that effect,” said Dr Chipo.

“Investigations are underway pending a further determinations, which will be communicated at a later stage.”

Ms Klassen, whose whereabouts are now unknown, said in an earlier interview that she had nothing to do with the controversial audio.

“I have no capacity to record such an audio and I don’t even own a smartphone,” she said.

“You will also note that I have relatives in all the political parties and it won’t be wise for me to insult them.”

Since the beginning of last week residents in the town from different ethnic groups have been calling on hospital authorities to transfer here to another town.

They said she was too emotional and a danger to the community considering that she was a senior official at the hospital, which is a referral centre for over 12 000 people mostly from the rural areas.

Residents said the matter needed to be treated with the urgency it deserves.