Africa-Press – South-Africa. Thekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda refused to answer simple questions on Thursday on his ANC colleagues’ failure to attend a special council meeting to elect a new deputy mayor.
The ANC failed to pitch up for the meeting, even though Kaunda and other party officials were seen at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Durban as early as 09:00. The EFF members in the council also didn’t arrive.
After Speaker Thabani Nyawose dissolved the meeting, the ANC flooded into the council hall and began singing struggle songs.
When approached for comment by several media houses, Kaunda flatly refused to say why he didn’t attend the meeting.
In response to a question on why the ANC was late for the council, he said: “I am here, so what is the question? From here, I will be moving to Indian Independence Day to address it and the meeting with Umgeni Water. I’m hard at work. Tomorrow I will be handing over awards to youth that flew our flag nationally and in the province, giving them free bursaries.”
He continued, flatly ignoring further questions: “I’m sure you spoke to the speaker. The speaker is in charge of this meeting. Follow me tomorrow. We will be awarding those young people who excelled.”
City manager Musa Mbhele was also absent from the meeting, but News24 saw him in the ICC at around 09:30.
The election of the deputy mayor comes after the ANC and EFF joined forces to oust Abantu Batho Congress (ABC) leader Philani Mavundla from the position.
Mavundla was thrust into the eThekwini executive committee in 2021 after his party and several other smaller parties helped the ANC retain mayorship through Kaunda.
However, a strained relationship developed between the two, with Mavundla, who was also the chairperson of the infrastructure committee in the city, saying that the ANC ousted him because he refused to open the purse strings in the committee unless proper procedures were followed.
Opposition parties lambasted the ANC for playing dirty, with DA caucus leader Thabani Mthethwa telling News24 that the EFF and ANC had little concern for the people in the city.
“The DA finds the conduct of the ANC, its ally – the EFF, and the City manager, Musa Mbhele, who deliberately collapsed the first council meeting of 2023, a complete dereliction of duty which cannot be left without consequences.”
He said that of serious concern was the “disappearance of the City manager who similarly did not turn up for the council meeting”.
Mthethwa added:
He said Mbhele should face disciplinary action for his “gross misconduct”.
“As a result, we will request Speaker Thabani Nyawose to investigate the ANC and EFF’s conduct in terms of Item 15 of the Councillors Code of Conduct, as well as [to refer] it to the Ethics Committee.
“This reckless behaviour by the ANC, EFF, and other smaller parties, along with the City manager, is wasteful as holding such meetings at the ICC costs the municipality ±R500 000 a time. The DA will ensure that councillors and the City manager will be held accountable, even if it is out of their own pockets.”
IFP leader in the city Mdu Nkosi said there were many divisions in the ANC and that their councillors would vote outside caucus decisions.
“They pretended as if nothing is wrong, they don’t respect the people of eThekwini.”
The council is expected to reconvene in seven days.
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