eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda survived by a whisker a motion to oust him from the post, thanks largely to the support offered by the smaller parties in the council.
The three big opposition parties, the IFP, DA and EFF joined by ActionSA all voted to remove the mayor during a council meeting on Wednesday.
The IFP had brought the motion, arguing that Kaunda had failed to perform his duties.
The ANC and a number of smaller parties voted against the motion. There were 209 councillors present; in the end, 98 councillors voted to remove him and 109 voted against the motion while two abstained.
IFP councillor Mdu Nkosi said: “If all the councillors were present today, we could be talking about something else.”
He said there were councillors from the IFP, DA and EFF who were absent.
“We would like to thank the parties that voted for the motion; this motion was not about the IFP but about the state of the eThekwini Municipality.
“We hope that the viewing public observed the parties that voted to keep the mayor in his position. The margins were very close and an indication that people are not happy.
“In a time of crumbling service delivery, high crime and a host of other problems, we cannot sit still as opposition parties. It falls on the mayor to monitor that the municipal manager is doing his job,” said Nkosi.
Nkosi said despite the defeat on Wednesday, the battle was not over and the IFP and those committed to service delivery will continue to fight for improved service delivery.
EFF leader Themba Mvubu, speaking prior to the vote, said they supported the motion and took exception to being viewed as a coalition partner of the ANC in the municipality.
“We want to place it on record that we do not need any secret ballot, (in response to calls by the DA for a secret ballot).
“The EFF only accounts at the Winnie Madikizela Mandela House, we are not in a coalition with anyone.
“We are co-operating with each other and the basic rule of co-operation is to respect each other when we are about to make a decision.
“Dealing with the item at hand, the EFF will support the motion to remove councillor Mxolisi Kaunda. Before we get carried away, we are dealing with this particular item, there are items that we agree on (with the ANC) that we vote together and items that we do not vote together; the EFF accounts to itself.”
Zwakele Mncwango of ActionSA said the party supported the motion and the mayor should have long resigned as the municipality has been in crisis.
ANC councillor Nkosenhle Madlala said the presenting of the motion was disingenuous, pointing out that the City is run by an executive committee and as such it’s improper to single out one person.
He said it would make more sense if all the members of the executive committee resigned as part of the motion.
DA leader Thabani Mthethwa commended the opposition parties that teamed up to support the motion to remove the mayor.
“We must however express our disappointment with the parties who voted against the motion, thereby betraying the people of eThekwini. We hope that the people will punish them for this level of betrayal,” he said.
The Mercury