Former eThekwini mayor rejects MPL slot

Former eThekwini mayor James Nxumalo. Picture: Motshwari Mofokeng

Former eThekwini mayor James Nxumalo. Picture: Motshwari Mofokeng

Published Aug 31, 2016

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Durban - Former eThekwini mayor James Nxumalo did not pitch up at the provincial legislature in Pietermaritzburg on Monday when he was expected to be sworn in as a new MPL.

The ANC had offered a seat to Nxumalo - the provincial chairman of the SACP - apparently in an attempt to mend the fractures between it and the SACP, which had seen four supporters of both parties in total being killed before and after the local government elections in Inchanga.

Nxumalo confirmed on Tuesday that the ANC provincial secretary, Super Zuma, had called him at 7am on Monday asking him to go to the legislature for the 10am swearing in.

“I rejected the request because it was made at short notice. I also told him that I could not be called honourable MPL while comrades are killing each other in Inchanga, while the ANC is doing nothing about it.

“The ANC should go to Inchanga to resolve the problem it started by refusing to allow people in Inchanga to join,” he said.

Nxumalo said that he had told the ANC of his intention to focus on completing his four-year degree in administration studies at Mancosa.

A source close to the ANC said news of Nxumalo’s new job emerged last week.

The source said former Durban deputy mayor and SACP deputy chairwoman Nomvuzo Shabalala’s name was also put forward to join the provincial legislature, but it was withdrawn for reasons unknown.

The source said the ANC had offered the seat to Nxumalo to reach out to the SACP.

The former ANC mayor in Newcastle, Phumzile Mbatha-Cele, and IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi’s elder daughter, Phumzile Buthelezi, of the IFP, arrived at the legislature on Monday to be sworn in.

The ANC had two vacant seats after the departure of former economic development MEC Mike Mabuyakhulu and Makhosini Nkosi, who is now the mayor of Newcastle.

Buthelezi replaced IFP deputy president Mzamo Buthelezi, who is now the new mayor of the Zululand District Municipality.

Addressing mourners at the funeral of murdered SACP activist Notsikelelo Blose in Inchanga on Sunday, Nxumalo lashed out at the ANC leaders, accusing them of “gatekeeping”, which had left SACP members out of the nomination process for the local government elections.

Nxumalo’s relative, Malombo Nxumalo, broke away from the ANC and stood as an independent candidate, and won the elections in Ward 4.

“They said it could not happen that the ANC could deploy James, while prior to the elections, he at night had backed an independent candidate (Malombo) who ended up winning the ward,” said Nxumalo.

James Nxumalo was at the centre of infighting between the ANC and its tripartite alliance partner, the SACP, which started with the eThekwini regional conference in which the current mayor, Zandile Gumede, defeated him for the position of chairman of the region.

During the provincial conference, Nxumalo backed former premier Senzo Mchunu to be retained as provincial chairman, but instead Sihle Zikalala won the position.

Nxumalo’s supporters have since gone to court demanding a rerun of the ANC provincial conference.

“We are interpreting that the ANC made the offer (of a seat in the legislature) in an attempt to get the court case dropped,” another SACP member said.

ANC provincial legislature chief whip Nontembeko Boyce denied knowing that the ANC had approached Nxumalo for the seat.

She referred The Mercury to ANC provincial secretary Super Zuma to comment about the deployments.

Asked when the party would fill the vacant seat, Boyce said: “It is in the wisdom of the ANC to decide when to fill in that position.”

Mthembu said the SACP had told the ANC that Shabalala was available instead of Nxumalo.

“We had been expecting to release Nomvuzo because James had requested to complete his degree,” he said.

“The ANC was supposed to come back to us, which did not happen.”

Repeated attempts to contact ANC provincial secretary Super Zuma for comment were unsuccessful as he did not respond to calls.

ANC provincial spokesman Mdumiseni Zuma said he was not aware that Zuma had called Nxumalo about the swearing in.

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The Mercury

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