Everyone wants a piece of Umhlathuze Local Municipality – the home of Richards Bay Coal Terminal.
And with just one seat at council separating the ANC and IFP-led coalitions, the municipality can swing either way.
The IFP-led coalitions, which consists of the IFP, DA, African Christian Democratic Party and Freedom Front Plus, governs the council with 34 seats compared to 33 seats of the ANC-led coalition consisting of the ANC, EFF and National Freedom Party.
Last year, the IFP won the tightly contested by-election at Ward 12 eMadlankala — taking over a ward that had been in the ANC since the dawn of democracy.
The EFF seemingly wants its political control so it can frustrate coal exports that go through the harbour.
EFF provincial chairperson Vusi Twala is organising over 10,000 Fighters to shutdown Richards Bay harbour as part of the national shutdown on 20 March.
The terminal with a capacity of 90 million tonnes a year is at the heart of discussions about the energy crisis that sees businesses without power for 10 to 12 hours a day.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, the man driving the R131 billion Just Transition from coal to renewable energy, said coal-fired power plants will not be phased out.
Coal fundamentalists claim the coal that is exported through the harbour creates a shortage in high grade coal at Eskom’s coal fired power stations.
It was the EFF’s demand that it be given Umhlathuze to run on its own that saw the party withdrawing from its coalition with the IFP in 20 KZN municipalities.
IFP president Velenkosini Hlabisa said they will never give up the R3.5 billion municipality which is the third biggest municipality in KZN after eThekwini and Umsunduzi (Pietermaritzburg).
The city covering Richards Bay, eMpangeni, Heatonville and Buchanana in Ntambanana is also an important tourism destination.
Thera are at least five game reserves in the area and various wetlands that pull thousands of tourists to the area every year.
Pictured above: Richards Bay Coal Terminal in Umhlathuze Municipality
Image source: @swagefast
