eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda. Picture: Gallo Images
KwaZulu-Natal community organisation Umsinsi Wokuzimilela, known for its “unannounced” visits to the private homes of politicians serving in government, is focusing on eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda.
The group, whose members last month angered ANC leaders when they visited KZN premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube’s private residence in Hillcrest, west of Durban, is planning to visit Kaunda’s private home to grill him on service-delivery matters.
In a letter distributed to communities around eThekwini, Umsinsi Wokuzimilela invited the public to be part of the visit to Kaunda’s private residence.
uMsinsi has resolved to execute its signature door-to-door walkabout by visiting Mr Mxolisi Kaunda’s houses. uMsinsi is making a clarion call and appealing to all the ratepayers and citizens of eThekwini Municipality to be the fortress of our children’s future.
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Shortly after the visit to Dube-Ncube’s house, the group went to ABC founder and former eThekwini deputy mayor Philani Mavundla’s house.
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While Mavundla, who was not at his Kloof home when the group arrived, initially slammed the organisation’s tactics, he later co-operated with the group.
Last week, Mavundla participated in a seminar organised by the Xubera Institute for Research and Development, which played a role in the formation of Umsinsi Wokuzimilela.
At the seminar, which was also attended by eThekwini ratepayers, Mavundla, who vacated his deputy mayor position in December after being in the top position for a year, told the audience about the difficulties he encountered while serving at the ANC-led municipality.
Following Mavundla’s presentation, members of uMsinsi Wokuzimilela then resolved to lead a campaign for “the suspension and dissolution of the municipality’s council and the removal of Mxolisi Kaunda as the eThekwini mayor”.
While ANC leaders in KZN have labelled uMsinsi Wokuzimilela’s controversial unannounced visits to politicians’ houses as an invasion, the community organisation claims its visits are part of a legitimate door-to-door campaign to get politicians to account to the voting public.
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Dube-Ncube has since laid trespassing and intimidation charges against the group.
Kaunda’s spokesperson, Mluleki Mtungwa, urged members of uMsinsi WokuziMilela, to “visit the mayor at his workplace at the city hall”.
He works here at the city hall, and anyone wanting to raise whatever municipal-related matter should arrange for a meeting with the mayor here at the city hall. It’s unacceptable for anyone to go to the mayor’s private residence to raise issues related to the municipality.
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