Durban – As jostling for municipal power in KwaZulu-Natal heats up after the collapse of the IFP-EFF coalition pact, a senior leader of the NFP in the Zululand region says they fear for the lives of their councillors.
Siphamandla Ntombela, the party's chief whip, said since the IEC has suspended them from filling any of their vacancies amid a dragging leadership dispute, should one of their councillors be killed, they would be hamstrung.
Ntombela pleaded with NFP councillors to take extra security precautions and report anything suspicious to the police.
“We live in fear, more especially where our councillors as the NFP are kingmakers.
“What is making matters even worse is that if any of our councillors were to be killed, we won’t be able to replace him or her.
“That’s because of the section nine restrictions (which were imposed by the IEC until the party’s leadership squabble has been resolved),” Ntombela said.
Ntombela said in the wake of this, their councillors should be extra-vigilant to the extent that they must even report false information peddled about them to the police.
He said nowadays people just make claims that a certain councillor has been bribed to vote in a certain way, thus placing his or her life in danger.
“Any misinformation should be reported to the police as it places the lives of our councillors at risk of being killed amid the ongoing coalition uncertainties,” he said.
Ntombela’s plea comes as the NFP is expected to play a kingmaker role in the municipalities of Nongoma, Alfred Duma (Ladysmith), Umhlabuyalingana, and to a lesser extent in te Newcastle and Amajuba district municipalities.
Amid claims that the Nongoma local municipality would hear a vote of no confidence tabled by the ANC to topple Albert Mncwango of the IFP, on Wednesday, the speaker there said there is no such move.
Prince Bheki Zulu said the ANC has tabled a motion and that’s all for now.
“There is no sitting tomorrow (Wednesday) to debate any motion, yes there is one that has been tabled,” he told “IOL” on Tuesday.
sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za
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