Durban - The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) on Thursday called on the African National Congress (ANC) to fire eThekwini mayor Zandile Gumede after the party's decision to extend her leave by another thirty days.
Leader of the official opposition in Kwazulu-Natal Velenkosini Hlabisa said: "The IFP calls upon the ANC to fire Zandile Gumede without any delay because this is inevitable’".
He said they viewed the extended leave as a delaying tactic by the ANC to arrive at the inevitable, the election of a new mayor in eThekwini.
"When mayor Gumede was given a thirty days leave by the ANC, we in the IFP questioned the logic and reasoning behind this very short time-frame given the intensity of the issues involved," said Hlabisa.
"The IFP wonders whether another thirty days will make any sense at all in resolving the impasse at hand.
"The IFP is further urging the law enforcement authorities and the justice authorities in the country to probe whether the bail conditions given to mayor Gumede were not violated prior to her being given leave of absence by her party."
Gumede is facing corruption charges relating to alleged tender fraud.
Hlabisa said if Gumede had contravened her bail conditions the IFP will urge the relevant authorities to ensure that the law takes its course.
"All the measures taken to postpone and delay matters is a slap in the face by the ruling party to the voters of eThekwini municipality," said Hlabisa.
He said the IFP calls upon the ANC to be bold enough and fire Zandile Gumede before the state of eThekwini Metro deteriorates to unacceptable levels.
The protests marches by different factions of the ANC in Ethekwini further worsened the stability of the Municipality and service delivery.
"The ANC Councillors who are sympathetic to Zandile Gumede have long started to undermine the sitting of various portfolios by affecting the quorum which impacts negatively on service delivery," said Hlabisa.
"Unless the ANC is decisive on this matter and live with that decision, the Municipality is bound to collapse."