Durban - Former ANC councillors in eThekwini contesting the elections as independents have been stripped of their VIP protection.
The move has sparked outraged, with the DA threatening to approach the public protector if the municipality failed to provide answers.
This amid claims that some candidates were receiving VIP protection and were also using council vehicles in their election campaigns.
The DA on Tuesday lifted the lid on the withdrawal of bodyguards for former ANC councillors, Phindiwe Zungu, Nomvula Shembe and David Mabizela, who have since been expelled by the ruling party.
The trio were among the city’s 22 councillors that had over the years received 24-hour protection because their safety was considered at risk.
One of the councillors, who asked not to be named, said she received a call on Thursday from the security company providing her with bodyguards to tell her that she would no longer be allocated VIP protection.
“There was no reason given. The person who called said they were told to inform us about the decision,” she said.
The councillor, who still fears for her life, said there had been no consultation on the city’s decision.
The councillor said she had not approached the city about the matter, but planned to do so.
DA caucus leader, Zwakele Mncwango, said it was strange that the metro had taken the decision because one of the councillors that approached it on the matter was now not staying at his home for fear of his life.
“They have been receiving security all these years. It can’t be right now that if they changed their political allegiance, their security is withdrawn.”
In a letter to city manager S’bu Sithole and Speaker Logie Naidoo, Mncwango demanded answers on the withdrawal of 24-hour security for the former ANC councillors, now standing as independents.
“Why is it all of a sudden someone believes that the safety and lives of these councillors is not important?
“Did you request SAPS to conduct threats analysis before removing protection?” he asked.
He also demanded an answer on claims that two candidates were receiving protection from the metro police and using council vehicles.
“Please note that if I don’t get your response on both emails within 24 hours, I will be forced to take this matter up with public protector,” Mncwango said.
But Naidoo said it was strange the DA was complaining about withdrawal of security from councillors when all these years it had criticised the city about VIP protection spending.
He said the council had received notification from the ANC withdrawing membership of the affected councillors.Naidoo the affected councillors lost all their benefits from the city, including 24-hour protection.
“If anyone has membership terminated, whether he stands as an independent or not, they lose benefits accrued to them because they are taken away.” He accused Mncwango of playing double standards when he deemed it convenient.
However, Mncwango insisted the city respond to his questions or else he would take the matter to the public protector for investigation of criteria used to arrive at the decision.
The eThekwini Municipality spends more than R36 million a year on private bodyguards to protect 22 councillors it deems “high risk”, the Daily News reported in March.
The councillors – 19 from the ANC, two from the NFP and one from the IFP – are provided with 24-hour protection at a cost of R208 666 per councillor a month.
There have been calls for the city to establish its own, internal VIP protection unit.