Durban — The removal of Philani Mavundla as eThekwini deputy mayor has led to a secret race between two senior regional ANC leaders.
Sources in the city have told the Daily News that jostling for Mavundla’s position between Nkosenhle Madlala, who is regional deputy secretary, and Thembo Ntuli, the regional deputy chairperson, had started before Mavundla was removed.
A source in the municipality, who asked not to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the media about the matter, said by removing Ntuli as a chief whip to the executive committee (Exco) the ANC may have anticipated Mavundla’s removal.
The source said pushing Ntuli to the Exco dented Madlala’s chances of being an obvious choice for the position since he was the only senior regional leader in the Exco. Ntuli was asked to resign as the council chief whip to take up the Exco seat after the removal of Thanduxolo Sabelo, who is now an ordinary councillor.
“Although the media has been tipping Madlala to take the deputy mayor’s position, I can tell you dynamics have completely changed here. I know both Ntuli and Madlala are eyeing the position so jostling has secretly begun,” said the source.
The source said with the EFF coming on board it had compounded matters, and the ANC should also consider this when making a final decision. She said although the EFF had not formally joined the small parties in the coalition with the ANC, it was an open secret that it was now voting with it, as happened during Mavundla’s removal.
Both Ntuli and Madlala refused to be drawn into the discussion, saying it was the organisation that deployed people to positions. Both denied having interest in the position, saying it does not matter what people say in the corridors but it would be the provincial leadership that would have the final say on who is appointed to the position.
Ntuli, who is currently acting as a regional chairperson of the party, confirmed his appointment to the Exco but denied that it was to set him up for the deputy mayor’s position.
He said that all logistics would have been done by the time the full council sits on January 26, which is the date earmarked for a meeting in which both the deputy mayor and chief whip positions would be filled.
Madlala, who had a short stint as acting eThekwini mayor last month, laughed off the rumours of his imminent appointment and said the party’s provincial leadership will decide who it appoints to the position.
ANC provincial spokesperson Mafika Mndebele said the party will announce the candidate once the deployment committee has agreed on the name. He added that the committee will look at the names presented by the region and then decide who was the best candidate.
Reacting to Mavundla’s removal, small parties bloc chairperson Zandile Myeni said the parties welcomed the decision to get him out but she was quick to say their coalition agreement with the ANC would not be affected by the ABC leader’s removal, adding that the small parties that she leads had never had an agreement with ABC but with the ANC.
On whether they were expecting any position for the small parties in the imminent reconfiguration of the council, Myeni said positions were not the small parties’ priority but the stability of the municipality in order to deliver services to the people was.
Ntuli said the party was mindful that it was governing with the help of other parties in eThekwini and that it will be important for the party leadership to consider their feelings when taking final decisions on these appointments.
In a statement issued by ABC at the weekend, it said it was accepting a Durban High Court ruling which dismissed Mavundla’s bid for reinstatement, saying he would return to the council as an ordinary member.
Daily News