Sandile Motha
A political analyst has warned that the tenure of newly appointed mayor of eThekwini would not be an easy ride.
Mxolisi Kaunda has promised to restore the metro as a preferred economic destination and a liveable city for its citizens, while also putting the needs of his party the ANC first.
“I have embraced the challenged bestowed to me by the ANC and my immediate task is to restore calm peace and order in the metro,” Kaunda said.
He said the metro will be able to report to citizens on progress being made within three months.
Kaunda, the former MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison was sworn in during a full council meeting after Zandile Gumede was forced to resign her post.
Gumede was axed together with her executive, including speaker William Mapena.
Xolani Dube, KwaZulu-Natal based senior researcher and political analyst said while Kaunda was a candidate welcomed by all ANC factions, his job is not going to be easy.
“I feel that the former mayor will only retreat for a while. She will eventually regroup with other disgruntled councillors and stage a comeback. They can do this by lobbying extensively for the upcoming ANC conference or influence other councillors in the metro to frustrate Kaunda in his quest,” said Dube.
In August, the provincial executive committee of the ANC resolved to suspend Gumede along with her entire executive after the city plunged into chaos with service delivery protests mushrooming in almost every township.
The PEC cited political interference in administrative decisions as having negatively affected service delivery. It also said that the executive committee failed to exercise its oversight role which compromised the normal functioning of the metro.
This included poor implementation of infrastructural projects and housing. Allegations of fraud and corruption were also levelled against the executive.
Gumede, who is also facing fraud charges relating to a multi-million rand tender, did not go down without a fight though, withdrawing her resignation letter within a day after submitting it.
This move delayed the swearing in of Kaunda. But at the weekend, the ANC’s national executive committee upheld the decision taken by the PEC, saying Gumede had finally agreed to relinquish her post.
At the tense meeting, it was agreed that Gumede and her axed executive will keep their posts as councillors in their respective wards.
Gumede’s frosty relations with her party was further exacerbated by her arrest on corruption charges relating to a R208 million waste removal tender in the metro.
The ANC is reportedly concerned that her continued stay in power was going to add to the electoral misfortunes of the party in the eThekwini region, and ultimately concede control of the metro.
While the ANC, its Youth League and the SACP welcomed the deployment of Kaunda, the Women’s League made it clear that they preferred a women to take over the reins.
They touted the name of Nomusa Dube-Ncube, the MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs.
Dube-Ncube is believed to have declined the proposal, believing the move was a demotion and would impede her ambition of becoming the first woman premier of KwaZulu-Natal.
Kaunda will be deputised by former MEC for Finance Belinda Scott while former Social Development MEC Weziwe Thusi will serve as speaker.
