eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba and two senior municipal officials have demanded that the Democratic Alliance (DA) remove what they describe as a defamatory election billboard displayed along the N2 in Durban.
Through their lawyers, Xaba, City Manager Musa Mbhele and Head of Water Ednick Msweli have given the DA 24 hours to remove the billboard.
The billboard displays the images of Xaba, Mbhele, and Msweli next to the wording “you can stop the water tanker mafia”.
According to the letter, it implies that the three are involved in organised crime, which is devoid of the truth.
The law firm says they will seek a high court order if the DA does not comply.
Meanwhile, the DA says it will not remove the billboard, arguing that it is holding eThekwini’s political and administrative leadership accountable for the city’s water crisis.
The Party’s eThekwini mayoral candidate Haniff Hoosen says the billboard does not accuse the officials of being members of a mafia, but highlights their responsibility for the city’s water system.
“The threats were received from Mayor Cyril Xaba to remove the billboard or face legal action does not scare us in anyway, the billboard will remain up. We refuse to remove that billboard until a court instructs us to do so. The people of Durban deserve to know who must be held accountable for the water crisis in Durban. We have 13 000 leaks, 65% of water is being wasted, we lose almost 21 billion litres of water every single month in Durban and we demand accountability.”
You can stop the water tanker mafia.
Today DA KZN Leader, Sithembiso Ngema and DA eThekwini Mayoral Candidate, Haniff Hoosen officially unveiled the DA’s billboard highlighting water crisis and leadership at the helm of enabling the crisis and the water tanker mafia. pic.twitter.com/qdcXKctR1q
— DA KZN (@DA_KZN) September 28, 2026
