The motion to forcefully eject ANC's Khaya Khumalo from the Zululand District Municipality executive committee (Exco) in northern KwaZulu-Natal has succeeded.
His removal took place on Tuesday when the IFP-led district municipality held a special council in Ulundi to discuss several matters, including the vote of no confidence against Khumalo.
The motion against Khumalo was sponsored by his colleagues, Mxolisi Zulu and Victor Dlamini, after he defied his party's directive to resign and surrender the position to Thokozani Sikhakhane. Sikhakhane is the deputy chairperson of the ANC in the Mzala Nxumalo (Zululand) region.
Khumalo failed to interdict his removal, as the Pietermaritzburg High Court said his matter was not urgent and the motion proceeded.
UPDATE: The motion to forcefully remove ANC's Khaya Khumalo from the Zululand district municipality exco has succeeded. Khumalo's removal was sponsored by his own colleagues, Councillor Mxolisi Zulu and Victor Dlamini after he defied his party's directive to resign pic.twitter.com/bJ0qwXkT6g
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) July 11, 2023
Even though it was initially rumoured that the IFP was going to shield Khumalo and block his removal to pit the two regional ANC factions vying for power against each other, that never happened.
Instead, IFP councillors voted for his ejection after three NFP councillors pulled out, ending months of resistance.
Lawyers acting for Khumalo had instructed Zulu, Dlamini and the ANC to withdraw their "defective" vote of no confidence against their client by 8.45am on Tuesday or be taken to court.
Last week Mziwakhe Dubazane successfully interdicted the ANC from removing him from the Exco of Ulundi local municipality and replacing him with Sikhakhane.
Khumalo was first ordered to resign in April this year, irking the NFP, the coalition partner of the governing ANC.
Back then, the chief whip of the NFP in the municipality, Siphamandla Ntombela, said the ANC is not treating them like a coalition partner, but like its personal assistant.
JUST IN: Another ANC Councillor is challenging his dethroning from a KZN municipality. Lawyers acting for Khaya Khumalo have instructed Councillor Mxolisi Zulu & ANC to withdraw their "defective" vote of no confidence against their client by 8:45 am or be taken to court. @IOL pic.twitter.com/JtFiR6wyBK
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) July 11, 2023
Ntombela said that during their negotiations with the ANC before the 2021 local government elections, it was agreed that the mayor (it would have been Jeremiah Mavundla) and the speaker (it would have been Sizwe Hadebe) would come from the NFP, and ANC Provincial Executive Committee member Jomo Sibiya agreed to that arrangement.
He said it was surprising to hear that Khumalo has been recalled when the ANC would have first informed them using their joint caucus forum.
He said they would have not rejected the changes.
A livid Ntombela said the ANC once betrayed them when they asked the NFP for support in 2016 when they failed to contest the local government elections.
Back then, Mzala Nxumalo regional secretary Ntokozo Nxumalo said the region had said the his removal was long-mooted, but it was delayed.
“Yes, the ANC has decided to recall (comrade) Khaya Khumalo from Exco, the decision was taken a long time ago last year.
“The reason for the delay in the implementation of this decision was the political dynamics in ZDM,” Nxumalo told IOL in April this year.
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