DURBAN – The election of the new deputy mayor of the eThekwini Municipality is unlikely to be finalised this month.
It was widely expected that the position would finally be filled at a full council meeting this week. Councillor Diana Hoorzuk is tipped to be the next deputy mayor.
However, those hopes were dashed after an invitation to the full council meeting for Thursday was sent out stating that a virtual council meeting would be held this week.
The ANC had directed that a council meeting to elect the deputy mayor should be held in person to allow for voting.
DA councillor Nicole Graham pressed mayor Mxolisi Kaunda during an Executive Committee (Exco) meeting yesterday, saying that he and Exco had made a commitment that the meeting would be held this month and in person.
“We had been told that the meeting to elect the deputy mayor would be held in person, but the invitation to the council meeting clearly states that the meeting will be virtual,” said Graham.
Kaunda distanced himself from the matter, saying that it fell under the authority of the Speaker, Weziwe Thusi. However, Kaunda said that Thusi had held a meeting with the party whips to discuss the matter, but it was not clear what was said at that meeting.
The position of the deputy mayor has been vacant for the past six months following the departure of Belinda Scott.
The attempts to fill the vacancy with Hoorzuk have been met with rebellion by ANC councillors who have taken offence that she was parachuted in to the position.
Last month's council meeting to elect her collapsed and a finance committee that she chairs failed to seat after ANC councillors failed to show up for the meeting.
THE MERCURY