AFTER more than five years as the mayor of the eThekwini Municipality, the African National Congress (ANC) in KwaZulu-Natal has reportedly recalled Mxolisi Kaunda from his position as eThekwini mayor in Durban.
According to SABC News journalist Samkele Maseko, Kaunda is being redeployed to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) in Cape Town.
#ANCKZN EThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda has been redeployed to the National Council of Provinces [NCOP] , his last day in office will be on Friday. #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/n3pm1biEwr
— #LordOfTheMedia (@samkelemaseko) June 12, 2024
The NCOP is due to hold its first meeting this Saturday, June 15, and because of this, Kaunda’s last day in office is assumed to be on Friday.
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Mayor Kaunda’s tenure
Mxolisi Kaunda was the MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison in KwaZulu-Natal before he became mayor.
He was named as the mayor of the eThekwini Municipality in 2019 after the ANC provincial executive committee of KwaZulu-Natal recalled Zandile Gumede, who was charged with corruption, a charge she is still up against and on trial for in the KZN High Court in Durban.
He was re-elected as mayor in 2021 as part of a coalition with the IFP after the November local government elections and, since then, has remained in office despite attempts to remove him.
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New government for KwaZulu-Natal
Earlier this evening (June 12), the leader of South Africa’s Inkatha Freedom Party, Velenkosini Hlabisa, announced that the party will join a proposed government of national unity.
This comes after the African National Congress did not win parliamentary majority in the recent elections.
The announcement by Hlabisa means an agreement between major parties to form a coalition government with the ANC.
VIDEO: IFP President Velenkosini Hlabisa says they have nothing to do with the removal of the ANC Mayor of eThekwini, Mxolisi Kaunda. @ScrollaAfrica pic.twitter.com/9BYzjJekVU
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) June 12, 2024
Hlabisa also made it clear that the party had no involvement in the removal of Kaunda.
“We can’t speak much on their [the ANC KZN’s] behalf. But on record, the IFP did not raise any matter that will deal with the coalition at a local sphere. We treat these [provincial and local government] as separate,” Hlabisa said.
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