By Sihle Mavuso
The ANC and the IFP are sworn enemies when it comes to fighting for votes in the elections, now less than two weeks away.
But they have laid aside their squabbles and united to try to remove the mayor and speaker, both from the Abantu Batho Congress (ABC) in the Umvoti (Greytown) Local Municipality.
The ABC is led by Philani “PG” Mavundla who helped the ANC secure eThekwini Metro after failing to get an outright majority in the 2021 municipal elections.
But, by the rules of both the ANC and the IFP, he has one deadly failing. He is Jacob Zuma’s friend and these two parties can’t allow him to be in power.
As the speaker has not called a meeting to deal with his pending removal, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) has called a special council sitting. The meeting is planned for Friday.
The two parties are also working together to remove, not only Mayor Mavundla but also the speaker, Mfundo Masondo.
These developments follow the collapse of the agreement between the ANC and the ABC which was signed in June last year to remove the IFP.
Their agreement saw the ABC’s Mavundla being named mayor and Ntombi Ngubane from the ANC assuming the deputy mayor role.
A few weeks ago, ANC and IFP councillors signed a joint motion to remove Mavundla and Masondo. When the speaker did not call the sitting the CoGTA stepped in.
Madoda Khathide, the deputy director general for local government in the department, has directed that the meeting be held on Friday at the Umvoti town hall.
Khatide is preparing for trouble – and he is even talking about the loss of life. Khathide has declared that no weapons will be allowed into the special council sitting.
“In addition appropriate security measures will be taken to ensure safety,” he said.
“These are precautionary measures to safeguard the interest of the municipality and to mitigate against damage to property and any other unintended eventuality, including loss of life.”
It’s not clear how the ANC and the IFP will share the top positions after ousting the ABC.
Mavundla, whose party is advocating for an independent Zulu state as part of its election campaign, said he knew they would try this before the elections.
“I told you about this. But let us wait and see how this pans out,” he told Scrolla.Africa when asked about the matter.
Pictured above: Mavundla will likely be ousted on Friday by the ANC and the IFP.
Image source: Supplied
