Celani Sikhakhane
An IFP councillor in Nongoma Local Municipality was transported from his hospital bed by an ambulance to help his party win the mayoral post against the NFP and the ANC.
The ward 8 councillor, July Nxumalo, arrived in a wheelchair at the council inauguration accompanied by an ambulance service and a team of health officials from Nongoma St Benedictine hospital.
He was then pushed by a team of paramedics to the ballot box to cast his vote, which helped the IFP ‘s candidate, Albert Mncwango, win election as the Mayor of Nongoma.
Mncwango emerged victorious against the NFP, whose candidate was supported by the ANC.
Mncwango himself was supported by the EFF, which was rewarded with the position of deputy mayor.
“Nongoma was among the highly contested rural municipalities in KZN,” another councillor, who did not wish to be named, told Scrolla.Africa.
“The EFF, ANC and NFP agreed at a meeting that was held in Durban last night that they will vote against the IFP,” he explained.
Upon hearing of the conspiracy to vote against them, IFP leadership rallied all their councillors to a camp so they could all attend the sitting with one mandate.
“They also organised an ambulance to fetch the other councillor from the hospital to make sure they had numbers in their support.”
While attendees were still in disbelief about Councillor Nxumalo’s arrival from St Benedictine hospital, another shocking incident took place in uMhlabuyalingana Local Municipality on the KZN border of Mozambique and eSwatini.
The municipal manager of the municipality, Nonhlanhla Gamede, fainted after hearing the news that the ANC lost the council to the IFP.
She was then rushed to hospital.
Council speaker Maureen Mathenjwa said she was stunned by the development.
“She handed the council process to me after I was declared as the new speaker, and then fainted. I don’t understand this thing and I’m still shocked,” said Mathenjwa.
