ANC’s Mxolisi Kaunda elected eThekwini Mayor as party retains metro mayorship

The African National Congress (ANC) has retained the mayorship of eThekwini in KwaZulu-Natal with Mxolisi Kaunda defeating Democratic Alliance’s Nicole Graham.

They were the only two candidates nominated.

The ANC earlier brought Philani Mavundla from Abantu Bathu Congress onto its list of members in the eThekwini Metro council’s executive committee.

The ANC told the inaugural meeting of the council that one of its members resigned from the executive committee for personal reasons.

Speaker Thabani Nyawose allowed the amendment after a heated debate.

Kaunda received 113 of the 219 votes, while the only other candidate – DA’s Nicole Graham received 104 votes.

There were two spoilt ballots.

Kaunda elected eThekwini Mayor: 

Meanwhile, Mavundla says their decision to support the ANC in eThekwini came after intense discussions.

“Well, there have been discussions, negotiations and finally we agreed how we are going to work moving forward. That’s how that came about. So we are in as a block of smaller parties that is supporting the ANC and that’s how we’re going,” said Mavundla.

This comes a day after the Democratic Alliance’s made a clean sweet in Gauteng with Randall Williams elected Mayor in the City of Tshwane after the DA’s Mpho Phalatse and Tania Campbell were earlier in the week elected mayors for Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni metros, respectively.

In Tshwane, the ANC did not submit any candidate for the mayoral position and refused to vote for the nominated candidates of their rivals. The 2021 local government elections did not produce an outright winner to govern Tshwane. The ANC’s Aaron Maluleke says they will remain an opposition and will not be controlled by the EFF.

“These drum majorettes of Julius [Malema] cannot control us. We are not saying that this will not continue. So, the whole voting won’t even threaten us here. Actually, voting is not an issue for us. We are opposition and we are not worried about that. I mean people understand that so will continue with that thank you.”

eThekwini council members cast their votes:

Johannesburg mayor

On Monday, DA’s Dr Mpho Phalatse was voted as the new City of Johannesburg mayor.

Phalatse got 144 of the 270 possible votes in the City. The African National Congress (ANC) mayoral candidate, Mpho Moerane got 121 votes.

Dr Phalatse said her election signals that democracy in South Africa is maturing, with multi-party governments becoming the order of the day.

A first female Mayor for the country’s economic hub, Phalatse said it’s now time for the citizens of the city to have access to basic services, irrespective of their political affiliation.

Phalatse was cheered by DA members in the council, as the announcement was made by the newly elected Speaker who is also a DA member, Vasco Da Gama.

Ekhurhuleni mayor

The DA’s Tania Campbell was also elected the new mayor of the Ekurhuleni Metro Municipality on Monday.

Of the 221 votes cast, Campbell got 116 whilst the African National Congress’ (ANC) Mzwandile Masina obtained 105 votes.

Campbell said the process of giving the people of Ekurhuleni their dignity back starts. She said she will ensure that every tender that is issued is done so in a transparent and fair manner and ensure there’s value for money.

Campbell says now is the time to get the city working again, “This is the change our people have been waiting for, for 20 years. Now is not the time for more promises, now is the time to get things done. For far too long our people have been living in substandard conditions. Our residents have been living in a metro where service delivery is non-existent where millions of rands are spent on housing projects, and substations and yet not to show. This ends today.”

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