A battle for power is under way in Umzumbe Local Municipality, as it now brags two mayors.
Bongani Nyuswa, who is known as the Umzumbe mayor after being elected during the 2021 local government elections, was allegedly removed unlawfully through a motion of no confidence during a special council meeting held last week.
During the meeting IFP councillor Mlungisi Ndlovu was elected as mayor.
However, Nyuswa, of the ANC, is adamant that he is still the rightful mayor of Umzumbe.
Nyuswa said the council meeting was chaired by the speaker of council, Sbonelo Maphumulo, who was expelled by the ANC before he called the meeting.
He was speaking at a media briefing held in Scottburgh yesterday (Wednesday).
“We called this briefing to clear the air and confusion surrounding Umzumbe Municipality. An unlawful council meeting took place last Friday where the contract of acting municipal manager, Nandi Dlamini, was terminated 10 days after her appointment. This was done by the same council that appointed her. Her transgression was refusing to take unlawful instructions from individuals who were using the council to drive their evil agendas,” said Nyuswa.
He added that he tried to stop the alleged unlawful council meeting last week but he was locked out.
He explained that they approached the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) and the court because they wanted the matter to the resolved legally.
Nyuswa said the matter sat in a court in Durban and an interim order was issued emphasising that the decisions taken during the ‘bogus’ council meeting was illegal.
“The termination of the employment contract of the acting municipal manager was successfully interdicted by the court. We are dealing with people who think they are above the law and they have portrayed Umzumbe as a lawless organisation. The motion against me and the chief whip of the council, Sibongiseni Cele, was also interdicted,” said Nyuswa.
Meanwhile, the ANC in KZN said it was vindicated by the court’s interim order declaring Ndlovu ‘a fake mayor’ and stopping him from masquerading as mayor of Umzumbe.
Speaking to Fever, Ndlovu said as far as he is concerned, he remains the newly-elected mayor of Umzumbe.
He said he was elected by Umzumbe councillors during a council meeting, saying that everything was done right.
“I will not be approaching Cogta because I was elected by councillors. I am the mayor of Umzumbe and the only people who can resolve this are the people who voted for me and those are Umzumbe councillors,” said Ndlovu.
KwaZulu-Natal National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said they were unable to confirm the interdict as the matter could have been a civil one.
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