Threat to remove eThekwini political leadership
A TIT-FOR-TAT political battle between the ANC and Abantu Batho Congress (ABC) is threatening to plunge the province's only metro into chaos.
Two motions of no confidence brought by councillors of smaller parties – and supported by the ABC – could remove the entire political leadership of the eThekwini Municipality, if successful.
One motion calls for the removal of the chief whip of council, Precious Sishange, accusing her of failing at her job, while the other motion is advocating for the removal of the entire executive committee, accusing it of the same.
The two motions come shortly after Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda narrowly survived attempts to oust him through a motion of no confidence brought by the IFP and supported by most big parties.
ABC leader Philani Mavundla said he will be supporting these motions; he is lobbying other parties to come on board.
The ABC was in a coalition with the ANC and is one of the many smaller parties keeping the ANC in power. Its change of allegiance could have significant implications if the IFP, DA and EFF are persuaded to support the motions.
Mavundla said calling on exco to be removed will give the parties that deployed exco members an opportunity to assess if they have performed.
“Let's be honest, do you think the ANC is happy with the performance of mayor Kaunda? There are five committee chairs deployed there – what have they done in those posts?” asked Mavundla.
Approached for comment, the DA said it had not been engaged. The IFP said it would formulate a position on the matters once discussed by its caucus.
The motion proposed by councillor Andile Sizwe Phala and supported by councillor Imtiaz Syed calling for the removal of the executive committee said the exco has the responsibility to properly guide the functioning of the council in an effective and impartial way. “The executive committee, headed by the mayor councillor Mxolisi Kaunda, has failed in its impartiality …” said the motion.
The second motion to remove councillor Sishange as the chief whip, sponsored by councillor Mohammed Ismail and supported by councillor Phala, said:
“There have been occasions when the council has erupted in protest and chaos, yet the chief whip did not act in accordance with the role of her office to maintain decorum.”
Mavundla, the former deputy mayor in eThekwini, is currently the mayor of Umvoti. He secured this position with the help of the ANC, but his post is now in jeopardy as he faces motions of no confidence brought by the IFP and the ANC.
Speaking on attempts by the ANC and IFP to remove him in Umvoti, Mavundla said the trigger was a call by the ABC for an independent state for the Zulu nation. “That is all that we are fighting about with the ANC, nothing else. That is the non-negotiable policy of the ABC.”
Alan Beesley of ActionSA in eThekwini said the ABC was playing political games and trying to stay relevant before the elections.
“Since being part of the group that put the ANC into power, the ABC has flip-flopped on many occasions. Notwithstanding that, ActionSA will support any motion that removes the totally incompetent leadership of the municipality.”
ANC councillor Nkosenhle Madlala described the ABC motion as grandstanding by parties to raise their profile ahead of the polls. “This motion is when a big party like the ANC goes into a coalition with a smaller party, and that smaller party starts to think it is a kingmaker.”