The Mercury

New Msunduzi leaders ‘capable’, says ANC’s Zikalala

- THAMI MAGUBANE thami.magubane@inl.co.za

ANC chairperso­n Sihle Zikalala said the leaders brought in to lead Msunduzi Municipali­ty would bring stability, fresh ideas, new energy and restore its battered image.

Speaking at a press briefing to announce Msunduzi’s new political leadership in Durban yesterday, Zikalala said the new team may not be as high profile as those deployed in eThekwini Municipali­ty, but were just as capable.

The party announced the replacemen­t of mayor Themba Njilo and his executive committee after they were sacked for lack of service in the province’s capital.

The ANC said Mzimkhulu Thobella, currently working in the provincial legislatur­e, would be taking over as mayor.

Manilal Inderjit would be the deputy mayor, Eunice Majola has been seconded to be the Speaker while Vusi Ntshangase would be the chief whip.

Thobella previously served in the ANC regional task team and had been a councillor and an executive committee member. Inderjit is a former Exco member and past chairperso­n of the community services portfolio committee.

Majola was a member of the previous Exco and survived the purge. She previously chaired the sustainabl­e developmen­t committee. Ntshangase is a former ANC Youth League regional secretary and a current PR councillor in Umgungundl­ovu district municipali­ty.

Zikalala said it was also important to accommodat­e young leaders such as those who had been in the youth league.

The Mercury had questioned why the ANC had deployed seasoned politician­s to Durban and figures who were relatively unknown to Msunduzi.

Zikalala said some of the leaders brought to the municipali­ty were young, and would bring new energy to the administra­tion and a different way of doing things.

Zikalala said officials who did not do their jobs should be dealt with, but the ANC could not prescribe how to deal with them as it was the function of the government and councils.

He warned councillor­s who had been sacked that the ANC expected them to remain discipline­d members of the party and to support the new leaders.

“The old councillor­s are going to remain in the council. We expect that they will continue to give support to leaders.”

Under her (Belinda Scott’s) leadership, the finances of the province were kept in good

shape

Sihle Zikalala

KZN ANC CHAIRPERSO­N

 ?? MAYOR: Mzi Thobella ??
MAYOR: Mzi Thobella
 ?? DEPUTY MAYOR: Manilal Inderjit ??
DEPUTY MAYOR: Manilal Inderjit
 ?? SPEAKER: Eunice Majola ??
SPEAKER: Eunice Majola
 ?? CHIEF WHIP: Vusi Ntshangase ??
CHIEF WHIP: Vusi Ntshangase

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