Durban - Newly appointed uMngeni mayor Chris Pappas and councillors were officially sworn in at the Howick Magistrate's Court after a ruckus at municipal offices where the inauguration was supposed to take place on Friday morning.
The DA's leader in KwaZulu-Natal, Francois Rodgers, said suspended municipal Manager, Thembeka Cibane, attempted to preside over the inauguration, resulting in the DA walking out of the morning's proceedings.
He said the party raised various points of order relating to her as presiding officer as the entire process was therefore irregular.
"Consequently, the DA walked out of the proceedings – a step that was supported by the EFF. The DA uMngeni caucus members are being sworn in at the Howick Magistrate’s court," Rodgers said.
He said this morning's incident was a "clearly orchestrated tactic by the ANC"
"This is unsurprisingly evidence of the arrogance of an ANC unable to accept defeat in uMngeni. It is a pity that the ANC in uMngeni didn’t take the advice of its provincial leader to undergo counselling and accept defeat," Rodgers said.
"We have also begun legal proceedings to ensure that a new council meeting is called and mayor-elect Chris Pappas and his team are inaugurated. The voters of uMngeni have given us that mandate and we will ensure that our mandate to govern is carried out without further delays," he said.
The DA is set to take action against the suspended municipal manager.
The DA in KZN today staged a walkout from the uMngeni inauguration this after suspended Municipal Manager, Thembeka Cibane wanted to preside over the inauguration.
— DA KZN (@DA_KZN) November 12, 2021
The entire process was thus deemed irregular.
We will now pursue the matter legally.
Francois Rodgers - DA KZN pic.twitter.com/KSSaEQ2fYz
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