Mass absence of ANC sinks council meeting

Factional lines were evident in Pietermaritzburg yesterday as a mass absence of ANC councillors – allegedly aligned to former president Jacob Zuma – led to the collapse of a Msunduzi council sitting.

The unprecedented absence led to fears that the municipality was heading for a fall due to infighting among ANC councillors. As opposition parties called for tough sanction against ruling party councillors, speaker Jabu Ngubo, mayor Themba Njilo and chief whip Truman Magubane were unable to provide answers on what led to the absence of their members. Only 39 councillors attended the 78-seat council sitting.

Senior councillors Thobani Zuma, Eunice Zondi, Sphamandla Khumalo, Nokuthula Msimang, Tholakele Dlamini and Philisiwe Sithole, who are all committee chairpersons and serve on the council executive committee, sent apologies.

Veteran DA councillor Bill Lambert appealed to the mayor to take action on the matter to avoid further ruin of the city.

“I have served in this council for many years under different ANC mayors and I can safely say that this is unprecedented,” said Lambert.

He said current developments indicated a decline in governance at the municipality. He also noted the absence of city manager Sizwe Hadebe, who has not attended a council sitting since an audio clip allegedly featuring him surfaced two months ago.

The speaker said the meeting had been well communicated. “When there was a meeting of councillors on May 30, it was agreed that because there was a massive volume of items to be discussed, a special meeting would be held today,” said Ngubo.

The aborted sitting came a day after municipal officials and councillors were heavily criticised by members of the provincial legislature during an oversight meeting over the state of finances at the municipality. – ANA