ANC elects new Nkomazi mayor

MALALANE - The Mpumalanga ANC, and Ehlanzeni ANC in particular, is back in charge and in control of its affairs and membership.

ANC councillors within the Nkomazi Local Municipality (NLM) were deployed to vote for Phindile Magagula as the new council’s executive mayor during a special council sitting on Tuesday, as per the ANC’s national executive committee’s wishes.

Magagula finally ascended to the driver’s seat after lengthy squabbles and internal battles within the ruling party, which almost crippled the service delivery vehicle.

She received 48 votes, while the EFF’s Bandile Shongwe received 15. The DA opted to abstain from the elections that were done through the secret ballot paper.

The ANC’s provincial secretary, Muzi Chirwa, had earlier promised to address all the problems faced by the organisation that were created by some of its party members.

“All the leadership problems in troublesome municipalities would be fixed and the positions that were ‘hijacked’ would be reclaimed. We are going to fix the problems in these municipalities and restore order,” vowed Chirwa.

NLM had for the past eight months been led by Johan Musa Mkhatshwa, who was voted in immediately after the 2021 November’s local government elections with the help of the EFF councillors within the council.

The ANC had endorsed Magagula to be the mayor, instead.

Mkhatshwa, who had been serving as the mayor before the elections, defied the ANC when asked to step down to allow Magagula to ascend. This resulted in his being hauled before the party’s disciplinary committee, where he was eventually found guilty and expelled from the organisation.