Durban to get new leadership
A CHANGE of guard is expected in the eThekwini Municipality executive committee as new ANC councillors take the reins.
The ANC, which won the municipality with 56% of the vote, confirmed yesterday that eThekwini mayoral candidate Zandile Gumede would become mayor after the formality of being voted in by the council.
However the party said other top positions, including deputy mayor,Speaker and chief whip, were yet to be confirmed.
ANC provincial spokesman Mdumiseni Ntuli said the eThekwini regional executive would meet this week to discuss who would represent the party in the municipal executive council.
“Once they conclude the meeting they will present recommendations to the ANC provincial executive committee and the provincial deployment committee for a final decision.
“There might be changes in the list.”
The executive committee seats for eThekwini are yet to be announced by the IEC. Calculations are based on formulae which look at the number of ward and proportional representation (PR) votes obtained by the political parties.
But The Mercury understands that much of the old guard, apart from Zandile Gumede, are unlikely to be in any key decision-making positions and may be selected only as PR councillors.
Former mayor James Nxumalo and ANC heavyweight Nigel Gumede are unlikely to have any presence in the council as they do not appear on the ANC’s PR list.
While former chief whip Stanley Xulu appears on the list, he is at number 72 and is unlikely to get a PR seat. Others, including former deputy mayor Nomvuzo Shabalala, Speaker Logie Naidoo and other exco members Fawzia Peer and Nomdumiso Cele, may be still in.
Meanwhile the DA, which won 13 more wards than it did in 2011, has seen its total number of seats (ward and PR) go up by 18 from 43 to 61.
The party’s provincial leader, Zwakele Mncwango, said yesterday that in terms of the party’s constitution, as its provincial leader he would automatically take up one of the DA’s exco seats.
The others who make it will depend on an internal nomination process in the party.
The IFP, which may also get a seat at exco, obtained 10 seats in the municipality.
The new kid on the block, the EFF, won eight PR seats in the municipality.
The EFF’s provincial convener, Marshall Dlamini, said with the EFF’s presence the council would never “fall asleep”.
He said the EFF representatives, led by eThekwini regional chairman Bonginkosi Ngiba, would advocate the expropriation of land without compensation, and scrapping of tenders.
The African Independent Congress won three PR seats. The Mercury could not reach its leader, Mandla Galo, yesterday.
If the ANC decides to keep its PR list as it was submitted to the IEC, then the following ANC members will form the majority of the city’s executive committee: Zandile Gumede. Former PR councillor and ANC Women’s League regional secretary Zamazulu Ruth Sokhabase.
Former PR councillor and ANC regional treasurer Barbara Agnes Fortein.
Former PR councillor and ANC regional deputy chairman William Lekgoa Mapena
ANC regional deputy secretary Mondli Michael Mthembu.
Former ward councillor Mxolisi Kenneth Ndzimbomvu.
Ward councillor Dennis Mzwamasoka Shozi.
Ntombizodwa Enid Mnguni (ANC Women’s League regional deputy secretary).
Political parties that got one PR seat each in the eThekwini Municipality are:
●Minorities of SA.
Minority Front.
Truly Alliance.
Democratic Liberal Congress.
African People’s Convention.
Al Jama-Ah. African Christian Democratic Party.