D-Day for eThekwini leadership to resign

Refusal may be due to fightback plan, says analyst

THE reluctance of axed eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede and her entire executive committee (exco) to vacate their seats to make way for the new leadership may have to do with a fightback plan, according to a political analyst.

Gumede and her team were asked by the ANC’s provincial secretary, via an urgent SMS at the weekend, to resign by noon today.

In the SMS, Mdumiseni Ntuli said: “You are kindly requested to tender your respective resignation letters from the positions of mayor, deputy mayor, Speaker, chief whip and Exco members.

“Consistent with the decision of the ANC, you are requested to submit your resignation letters to the city manager by 12h00 on Monday, August26, and copy the ANC provincial secretary.”

The team Ntuli was texting included Nelly Nyanisa (chief whip), Sipho Kaunda (exco member), Zama Sokhabase (exco member), William Mapena (Speaker) and former acting mayor Fawzia Peer.

Xolani Dube, of the Durban-based Xubera Institute, said Gumede and the team may be trying to show their strength by emulating Patricia de Lille, the former mayor of Cape Town, who defied her former party, the DA, and refused to resign.

De Lille eventually defeated the motion and the DA was forced to negotiate a dignified exit.

In the case of eThekwini, Dube said Gumede and the 62 councillors who were allegedly fingered in a R208-million waste tender that got Gumede into legal trouble, may have regrouped to fight back.

“What I suspect (is happening) here is a game of political power showoff. I think the game they are playing has nothing to do with incompetence and the administration of the municipality; it is about the politics of power among the factions.”

Gumede “may be saying ‘let the party pass a vote of no confidence and get me removed’,” Dube said.

According to Dube, another strategy the councillors may be using is trying to force the ANC to tell them where they will be redeployed after being removed from their current positions.

While Gumede could not be reached for comment, her political confidants in the eThekwini region, who leaked Ntuli’s message to The Mercury, said yesterday, just hours before publication, that she had not resigned.

They refused to say whether she would try to force the ANC’s hand. They did say she was still receiving legal and political advice.

The designated mayor of eThekwini, announced by the ANC last Thursday, is outgoing KZN Transport MEC Mxolisi Kaunda. His deputy will be former finance MEC Belinda Scott, the Speaker will be former Social Development MEC Weziwe Thusi, while eThekwini ward councillor Sibongiseni Mkhize will take over as chief whip.

ANC spokesperson in KZN Ricardo Mthembu was adamant that the members would resign from the positions. In a brief response, he said: “No, they will resign.”

Their strategy has to do with the politics of power among factions

Xolani Dube

XUBERA INSTITUTE