In a surprise political move the speaker of KwaDukuza council, Phumlile Zulu has moved from the municipality to the provincial legislature in Pietermaritzburg.
Zulu, who was elected speaker of council in 2016, was sworn into her new position last Friday.
Her term in council has been wrought with party factionalism which came to a head in 2019 after ANC councillors deliberately sabotaged council meetings after the party’s provincial deployment committee chose her as their mayoral candidate of KDM.
The mayoral position became vacant following the 2019 general elections which saw the late Ricardo Mthembu step down from the position which he had held for 8 years, to serve in the provincial legislature.
He died in July last year after a battle with the coronavirus.
Divisions within the majority ANC party resulted in a prolonged delay to elect a replacement and after 16 months of infighting, acting mayor Cllr Dolly Govender was sworn in as KwaDukuza mayor.
Before her appointment as the speaker of council, Zulu was employed by KDM as the Youth Development Officer, a position she served for 10 years.
Soon after matriculating in 2005, she began her career as an HIV/Aids coordinator and worked her way through the many divisions and ranks of the ANC.
Some of her political career highlights include being elected as member in the KZN ANC Provincial Executive Committee in 2015, elected as a member of the KZN South African Local Government Association (SALGA) Provincial Executive Committee. In 2016 and holding the position of deputy chairperson of KZN SALGA Provincial Executive Committee.
Valuing the importance of education, Zulu has to date acquired certificates in Computer Literacy, Public Management and Administration as well as Project Management. She is studying towards a certificate in Leadership in Municipal Governance at the Witwatersrand University.
It is not yet known who will be filling in the position of speaker of KDM.
