Durban - Cracks have started to emerge in the ANC-NFP alliance in the Zululand District Municipality (ZDM) following the sudden recall of councillor Khaya Khumalo from the all-powerful municipality’s exco.
Khumalo’s removal is in anticipation of fielding Sbu Mhlongo as a mayoral candidate once the IFP has been ousted from power during a pending vote of no confidence.
The removal of Khumalo as an exco (executive committee) member was confirmed to IOL on Tuesday by the regional secretary of the ANC in the Mzala Nxumalo region (Zululand), Ntokozo Nxumalo.
NEWS: Cracks in the ANC-NFP alliance in the Zululand district municipality following the recall of Khaya Khumalo from the municipality’s exco in anticipation of fielding Sbu Mhlongo as a mayoral candidate once the IFP has been ousted from power. The NFP’s chief whip, Siphamandla
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) April 18, 2023
Nxumalo said the decision was taken last year, but it was delayed by the political dynamics in the municipality.
“Yes, the ANC has decided to recall Cde (comrade) Khaya Khumalo from exco, the decision was taken long time ago last year.
“The reasons for the delay on the implementation of this decision was the political dynamics in ZDM,” Nxumalo told IOL.
Khumalo did not comment when asked about the matter.
The chief whip of the NFP in the municipality, Siphamandla Ntombela, said the ANC is not treating them like a coalition partner, but like its personal assistant.
Ntombela said that during their negotiations with the ANC before the 2021 local government elections, it was agreed that the mayor (it would have been Jeremiah Mavundla) and the speaker (it would have been Sizwe Hadebe) would come from the NFP, and ANC PEC member Jomo Sibiya agreed to that certified arrangement.
He said it was surprising to hear that Khumalo has been recalled when the ANC would have first informed them using their joint caucus forum.
He said they would have not rejected the changes.
A livid Ntombela said the ANC once betrayed them when they asked the NFP for support in 2016 when they failed to contest the local government elections.
In return, the ANC was to accommodate their members but ditched them at the eleventh hour, saying they must first be members of the ANC and join the deployment queue.
He said no apology was ever offered for that embarrassment, but it was business as usual for the ANC.
“This is not the first time the ANC is behaving in this way, hence we have resolved as the Zululand caucus of the NFP to meet with the ANC in the Mzala Nxumalo region and the province to address this matter.
“We will never allow the ANC to turn us into mere helpers, we have our own programmes,”’ Ntombela told IOL.
Meanwhile, the district municipality has justified its sudden decision to strip Khumalo and Hadebe of their bodyguards.
This was after the NFP raised concerns that the two councillors are facing threats and the decision was not well thought out.
NEWS: The NFP has raised concerns after the IFP-run Zululand district municipality withdrew bodyguards assigned to councillors Khaya Khumalo (ANC) & Sizwe Hadebe (NFP). Khumalo's decision was taken after an advice from the SAPS crime intelligence while Hadebe is accused
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) April 17, 2023
The municipality’s spokesperson, Zanele Mthethwa, said according to the SAPS, Khumalo is facing no threat, while Hadebe could not provide the required information for him to be assessed for threats.
“Councillors are allocated bodyguards based on the SAPS Threat Analysis.
“‘In the case of Khumalo, the SAPS Threat Analysis Report concluded that there were no threats to his life.
“In the case of Hadebe, he did not submit (the) information required by SAPS.
“As a result, ZDM cannot provide them with bodyguards,” Mthethwa said about the matter.
sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za
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