eThekwini deputy mayor, Philani Mavundla, has been ousted from the municipality’s executive council. The African National Congress (ANC) n the municipality tabled an urgent motion, saying that relations with Mavundla had soured.
Mavundla who is the president of the Abantu Batho Congress reached an agreement with the ANC last year, to allow the governing party to retain the municipality after it failed to secure an outright majority following the local government elections.
“The voters hold the ANC accountable. But if the ANC cannot account for 90% of the budget of the City how is it expected to account to voters of this municipality? Therefore the ANC is correct by changing its executive and placing members which its believes will be able to account to the ANC,” says ANC councillor Thanduxolo Sabela.
Sabela provided reasons for the party’s motion to remove deputy mayor Mavundla from the executive committee. This was met with much debate among the council. Eventually, eThekwini speaker Thabani Nyawose allowed the motion to proceed.
“Councillors, Mr Mhlongo is saying the order was saying, don’t proceed to entertain the urgent motion without complying with the law and the rules of council, that was the order, don’t proceed if you are not in compliance with the relevant legislation and the rules of order. Now as we are sitting here councillors, who have complied with the legislation, we have complied with the rules, the court order was warning us not to continue to entertain the urgent motion without complying with the law,” says Nyawose.
Mavundla’s fate was then taken to a vote.
The ANC was supported by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and smaller parties. This follows a call last week from the EFF in the province for eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda to step down. The Democratic Alliance (DA) did not support the motion.
Mavundla plans to challenge his removal. He says he is consulting his legal team on the way forward.
“My gut tell me that we should be in court either this afternoon or tomorrow (Wednesday) but that is going to depend on how our legal experts see it. Remember we are due to be in court on the 3rd of February in anyway. So basically we going to go today to talk about but you can still talk about on the 3rd of February. It may not make any sense if we can worry about getting ourselves ready for the 3rd of February. So whoever that is going to take the position for now it will also be a nice present for that person to have a good Christmas being a deputy mayor.”
Mavundla will retain his position as a councillor in the opposition benches in the municipality.
#sabcnews #sabckzn ABC President and eThekwini municipality Councillor Philani Mavundla says he will be challenging his removal from exco in court. He believes Speaker Thabani Nyawose disregarded yesterday’s interim interdict by Durban high Court. pic.twitter.com/MpnnTO2MUO
— Nonkululeko Hlophe (@Leko3) December 13, 2022
