ANC axes KwaDukuza mayor Lindi Nhaca amid leadership shake-up

The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has suspended Lindi Nhaca, removing her from her role as mayor of KwaDukuza local municipality. This move is part of a broader effort to “strengthen the Troika” of the municipality, following ANC provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo’s announcement on August 30.

The ‘Troika’ refers to the political leadership in the municipality, namely the mayor, deputy-mayor (left vacant since Thulani Ntuli’s death in March last year), speaker Dolly Govender and chief whip Humphrey Mbatha. While the remaining details of the political restructuring remain unclear, the ANC has yet to announce Nhaca’s replacement.

However, Mafika Mndebele, KwaZulu-Natal ANC spokesperson, said the process of selecting a new mayor had already begun.

The party cited Nhaca’s public defiance of ANC decisions as grounds for her suspension, emphasising that deployed leaders must prioritise the party’s objectives over personal interests.

“We remind leaders deployed to different spheres of government that all ANC members who swear allegiance to the party have to accept that they serve the ANC, and ultimately the people under the banner of the organisation. Linked to the above, ANC members who swear allegiance to the organisation are expected to subordinate their interests to the party’s strategic objectives. Consequently, it is not their personal interests that have to be served by the ANC. Conduct, public pronouncements and behaviour of deployed leaders across all levels must reflect the programme of action and policy position of the ANC. Cde Lindi Nhaca is violating all the above,” read the party’s statement.

Nhaca has been barred from attending any ANC meetings, including municipal caucus and council meetings, and from holding community meetings in her capacity as an ANC representative.

The provincial structure warned that her actions risked undermining ANC unity.

Despite the leadership shake-up, the ANC pledged that service delivery in KwaDukuza Municipality would not be affected. Both the KDM spokesperson, Sifiso Zulu, and the mayor’s office indicated they had not been officially informed of the suspension at the time of publication. Nhaca had not responded to the Courier’s request for comment at the time of publication.

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