The ANC has shortlisted former KZN premier Nomusa MaDube-Ncube and outgoing police minister Bheki Cele to replace eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda.
Their names were added to that of former agriculture and rural development MEC Cyril Xaba who was a contender for the post in 2011, when the ANC planned to replace then-mayor Obed Mlaba.
Sources claim that the ANC decided on these names because of their experience in government.
ANC KZN spokesperson Mafika Mndebele says they have sent three names to the ANC headquarters at Luthuli House in Johannesburg.
“They will go through the internal party processes. Then the ANC will decide on one candidate.
“This is when we will announce the name. At the moment we don’t want to announce any names in the media because this might cause divisions in the ANC,” said Mndebele.
Cele was once an ANC chairperson in eThekwini, where he led a strong organisation with the late secretary John Mchunu.
When he was appointed MEC for transport, Mchunu allegedly campaigned against him for the chair, which led to his defeat at the regional conference.
Mchunu, who subsequently became the chairperson, was known for his powerful ability to control the eThekwini metropolitan municipality.
MaDube-Ncube was speaker of eThekwini under Mlaba.
She was then sent to the Czech Republic as ambassador after internal fighting in the ANC; she was rumoured to be planning to take over the mayorship of eThekwini from Mlaba.
She has been in government for over two decades.
Xaba is known as a scholar whose graduation at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in 1993 was attended by the late president Nelson Mandela.
He is a former MEC for agriculture but he was chased from his position in 2016 after his faction of former KZN premier Senzo Mchunu was defeated at the ANC provincial elective conference.
Xaba has also been a member of the National Assembly, where he chaired the justice portfolio committee.
Pictured above: Former premier Nomusa maDube-Ncube and former police minister Bheki Cele join the race to be mayor of eThekwini.
Source: X
