SANDILE MOTHA
DELIVERY of basic services, including food relief programmes for residents hardest hit by COVID-19 has ground to a halt in the IFP-led Nquthu local municipality in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
At the heart of the furore is who should ascend the mayoral post which was left vacant after former mayor Siyabonga Kunene relinquished the position following a cloud hanging over him relating to murder.
Following his resignation, the council elected Nothile Zungu, the deputy mayor on interim basis to act until the position is filled. However contestation ensued between Zungu and Zama Shabalala, both IFP councillors over the mayoral chain.
“ There is no wording that says I must vacate my position in the letter sent by Cogta MEC and addressed to the speaker. The letter only gives instructions that a council sitting to elect a mayor must be immediately constituted. I will therefore continue with my constitutional duties until such a meeting is convened,” said a defiant Zama Shabalala this week.
Shabalala was elected this week as the new mayor despite Zungu occupying the position in an acting capacity.
The council sitting is alleged to have convened despite the national disaster management act regulations prohibiting physical contact and a government gazette issued by Dr Nkosazana Dlamini–Zuma, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs preventing physical council meetings.
Shabalala, a defiant and self-proclaimed mayor has not minced his words, saying he will not step down despite the provincial department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs declaring him an illegitimate mayor.
“I was elected by my party and they are the ones who will recall me,” he added.
Inside Metro understands that Shabalala was elected by councillors of his party in absentia of other political parties represented in the municipality.
The IFP has an outright majority in Nquthu with 19 council seats followed by the ANC with 11 while the EFF, DA and NFP have one seat each.
Johannes Motloung, The ANC chief whip in the council said they had escalated the matter to COGTA MEC Sipho Hlomuka for his intervention.
“Because of this chaos in the municipality, the municipal command council on Corona virus has not had any meetings. Social relief programmes to assist those in need with food parcels is also on hold,” Motloung told Inside Metro.
He said Shabalala is receiving undue benefits from the municipality.
“In the short time that he has forced himself into office, he has bloated the mayoral office with new staff. We want him to be held personally liable for all the expenditure incurred while in office. In addition, we want the other councillors who elected him to also face the music,” added Motloung.
Senzelwe Mzila, provincial Cogta spokesperson said the MEC had instructed the municipal speaker to urgently convene a sitting to elect a new mayor after Dlamini -Zuma released new regulations dated 6 May.
“The MEC views the act by the councillors as the highest form of defiance. There is also a process underway to hold accountable all councillors who participated in the unconstitutional sitting thereby flouting covi-19 regulations,” explained Mzila.
Inside Metro has also learnt that despite Kunene handing in his resignation in early February this year, he has remained an EXCO member, the highest decision making structure of the municipality. Kunene is facing legal woes pertaining to allegations of a plot to kill rival ANC candidates in the build up to the 2016 Nquthu hotly contested by elections.
He is alleged to be the mastermind behind the planned assassinations.
The plan was apparently to make sure that the IFP records a landslide victory in the elections.
A bodyguard who was present when the planned assassinations were hatched is alleged to have blown the whistle and notified authorities.