Durban - The race for the eThekwini mayorship is on with two senior MECs in KwaZulu-Natal - Nomusa Dube-Ncube and Mxolisi Kaunda - being touted to succeed Zandile Gumede and another Msunduzi mayor who were axed this week.
Dube-Ncube, Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs MEC, is said to be touted to run the R50.8billion annual budget of eThekwini Municipality, whose outgoing mayor Zandile Gumede was removed by the ANC due to poor service delivery performance.
Sources said Transport, Community Safety and Liaison MEC Kaunda would replace Themba Njilo as the mayor of the cash-strapped Msunduzi Municipality in Pietermaritzburg.
“There might be other names, but I only know that the two are being considered.
“The SACP would this week meet the PEC (provincial executive committee) of the ANC to be briefed about people who have been selected,” said a source.
“As much as Dube-Ncube and Kaunda are both considered for eThekwini, Kaunda is also being considered for Msunduzi.
“Bathabile Dlamini would next week be here to talk to the PEC to express her frustration a woman had been removed from the position.”
The source said it was not clear whether Dube-Ncube would accept the position.
“This is because she might want to remain MEC in order to implement the R1trillion Durban Aerotropolis project, which she recently announced.”
When contacted, ANC provincial spokesperson Ricardo Mthembu said he was busy, while provincial secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli did not answer his phone.