By Thapelo Molefe
The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has summarily and temporarily suspended four of its councillors in Impendle Local Municipality (Midlands area), accusing them of serious misconduct linked to the removal of the former mayor and the disputed election of a new one.
In a statement issued on Sunday, ANC KZN spokesperson Fanle Sibisi, said that Malcom Dlamini, Nokuvela Ngcobo, Wonderful Zibuse Dlamini and Thabani Makhaye, who represent Wards 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively, were suspended with immediate effect following a decision by the party’s Provincial Task Team sitting on 6 February.
The suspensions relate to allegations that the four councillors, acting in their official capacities, worked against the official position of the ANC caucus, which included the removal of former mayor Buyisani Mlaba and the subsequent election of a new mayor.
Mlaba was removed as mayor in July 2025 through a vote of no confidence after the municipality was deadlocked. The municipality went for months without a mayor.
Councillor Kho Dlamini was elected mayor on Friday, with Zibuse Dlamini elected speaker, following a COGTA deadline to fill the vacancy.
Impendle has been experiencing a recurring cash-flow and governance crisis. It failed to pay employee salaries and allowances for December 2025, which also happened in May 2025.
After meeting with Impendle officials last month, national Cogta said that “despite repeated Treasury interventions during the 2024/25 financial year, recommended measures were not implemented, resulting in the loss of R36 million in grant funding and irregular payments exceeding R600 000 in bonuses, gratuities and allowances”.
In its statement, the ANC said the four suspended councillors defied a Provincial Task Team decision that had been formally communicated to them and which they had committed to implement.
The suspensions were effected in terms of Rule 25.60 of the ANC Constitution, which allows for immediate temporary suspension under justifiable exceptional circumstances.
The Provincial Task Team said its decision followed an assessment that found prima facie breaches of several organisational rules governing discipline and conduct.
The party said that the councillors’ conduct undermined discipline, unity and cohesion within the ANC caucus in the municipality, and was directly against the interests of the organisation.
“These alleged acts of misconduct are of an extremely serious nature and have had a very negative impact on the ANC as an organisation, on the organ of state where the ANC governs, being Impendle Municipality, and on the morale and confidence of the community generally,” Sibisi said.
As a direct consequence of the suspension, the four councillors are barred from participating in any ANC organisational activity, programme or structure.
In addition, the ANC said the Provincial Task Team has imposed conditions regulating the councillors’ participation in municipal activities under Rule 25.62 of the ANC Constitution. Sibisi said they are prohibited from taking part in any municipal activity, meeting or programme unless they receive written authorisation from the provincial coordinator.
The Provincial Task Team has also resolved to forward a formal report on the suspensions to the ANC’s National Disciplinary Committee of Appeal, as required by Rule 25.64. The suspended members are expected to receive formal notice of the specific charges against them in due course.
The ANC acknowledged that Impendle has experienced a prolonged leadership vacuum since July and significant governance challenges, which have affected service delivery and the timely payment of municipal staff salaries. The party said these challenges had heightened the need for decisive organisational intervention.
“We remain committed to the principle that no individual is above the organisational discipline required to serve our communities effectively,” Sibisi said, adding that the decision to suspend the councillors was part of its broader programme of renewal.
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