Greytown - The newly-appointed deputy mayor of Umvoti (Greytown) local municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands has promised to work for the people.
Ntombi Ngubane who is also the chairperson of the ANC in the Inkosi Bhambatha region (Umzinyathi district) also said they would ask the provincial government to support them as they assume office.
Ngubane was speaking to the crowd that had gathered outside the municipal offices in central Greytown to witness the sitting that ousted the IFP from power.
JUST IN: The IFP has been ousted from power at Umvoti (Greytown) local municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. The ANC-ABC alliance has eventually taken over after attempts to interdict the special council sitting. @IOL
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) June 21, 2023
The IFP was ousted when the ANC joined forces with the Abantu Batho Congress (ABC) of Philani PG Mavundla, the former eThekwini deputy mayor.
Previously, the ABC was a coalition partner of the IFP, helping it snatch the municipality from the ANC in November 2021.
The ABC also helped the IFP to snatch the Dannhauser local municipality in the north of the province.
UPDATE: Following the ousting of the IFP, former eThekwini deputy mayor and ABC leader, Philani PG Mavundla has been elected as the new Mayor of Umvoti (Greytown) local municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. Mavundla was once the ANC Mayor of the municipality. @IOL
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) June 21, 2023
However, the two parties fell out when the ABC accused the IFP of treating them like “political infants.”
That started a protracted battle to get the now ousted Speaker, Thando Dlamini, to convene a special council sitting to table a motion of no confidence.
The matter was even heard by the Pietermaritzburg High Court which ruled that the sitting should be called.
Wednesday’s sitting that eventually saw the removal of the IFP was convened by a representative of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) after a request by ANC and ABC councillors.
UPDATE: The new leadership of Umvoti (Greytown) local municipality following the ousting of the IFP on Wednesday. On the right is the new Mayor Philani PG Mavundla, the former eThekwini deputy mayor. @IOL pic.twitter.com/SA0oJfZpSU
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) June 21, 2023
During the first round of voting, Dlamini lost her position as Speaker to Mfundo Masondo of the ABC.
On Monday Dlamini, Masondo and another IFP councillor, Siyabonga Bhojas Dlamini, exchanged heated words during a live process conference held in the municipal building.
WATCH: A heated argument between IFP Councillor, Bhojas Dlamini and Umvoti (Greytown) local municipality Deputy Mayor, Mfundo Masondo from the ABC. This was during a live press conference on Monday in Greytown. The IFP-ABC alliance has since collapsed. pic.twitter.com/HEUwdWetoz
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) June 19, 2023
The ABC scored another major victory when Mavundla was elected to replace former mayor Gabriel Malembe of the IFP.
The position of deputy mayor was given to Ngubane who is from the ANC.
JUST IN: The IFP-led Umvoti (Greytown) has filed an urgent court application in the Pietermaritzburg High Court to interdict KZN COGTA from convening a special council sitting billed for 10am today. The court application will be heard today at 9am. @IOL pic.twitter.com/YceqQmyD9L
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) June 21, 2023
After her election to office, Ngubane promised the people of the municipality that the new leadership would work for them.
“We pledge that we will work hard, with humility and honesty while dealing with our communities.
“We will also ask the government at a higher level to step in and help since we know that our people need a lot.
“We will convene and map our action plan and start working while being led by the office of the Speaker,” Ngubane said.
Meanwhile, the ANC in the province said it welcomed the determination by councillors from all parties across the board to remove the IFP from power in municipalities where it governs.
It said the lack of accountability and maladministration under the IFP had led to the collapse of good governance in the local government sphere.
“Last week, the ANC successfully elected a new speaker Sibusiso Myaka to ensure the smooth running of council meetings in Dannhauser Local Municipality.
“The ANC leadership in Mbuso Kubheka Region is working with all other political parties to ensure the election of the new Mayor and Deputy Mayor.
“We want to ensure the removal of the clueless and corruption-prone IFP office-bearers from this municipality,” the party said in a statement on Wednesday.
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