DA eThekwini Mayor

EThekwini Municipality Mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda. Photo by Gallo Images/Darren Stewart)

EThekwini: Opposition accuses metro of ‘secretive appointment process’

Opposition parties in eThekwini Municipality voted against the selected Municipal Manager candidate and want the process to be restarted.

DA eThekwini Mayor

EThekwini Municipality Mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda. Photo by Gallo Images/Darren Stewart)

Opposition parties in the eThekwini Municipality say the process of appointing a Municipal Manager was not fair and want it to be restarted.

The parties are accusing the ANC deployment committee of having a meeting before the full Council met and influencing the process. 

OPPOSITION PARTIES VOTE AGAINST SELECTED CANDIDATE

The eThekwini Municipality has been without a City Manager after Sipho Nzuza’s contract was terminated. Nzuza and former mayor, Zandile Gumede were charged with corruption and money laundering in a R430 million Durban Solid Waste (DSW) tender.

The Municipal Manager was supposed to be appointed at the end of March 2022 but the opposition want the process to start from scratch. 

The Abantu Batho Congress’s (ABC) vote helped the ANC to retain the eThekwini Municipality as there was no outright winner in the 2021 local government elections. 

Surprisingly the ABC voted against the ANC and chose not to back the selected candidate. The DA and the IFP also voted against Ray Nkonyeni Municipal Manager, Maxwell Mbili, who was running for the position.

In an interview with eNCA, eThekwini Deputy Mayor, Philani Mavundla said there is no trouble brewing between his party ABC and the ANC. 

“The fact that we joined the coalition does not mean we should lose our independence. It does not mean that we should not apply our minds.” 

Mavundla said before the Council could sit and pronounce its stance on the process of employing a City Manager, it was already known about in various newspapers in KZN. 

“We then said that can’t be correct, it’s the Council that needs to announce the decision. If the Council hasn’t done so, how can it be out there in the media?” 

Philani Mavundla

ETHEKWINI MAYOR DENIES ANC INFLUENCED SELECTION PROCESS

EThekwini Mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda said there was no deployment committee that sat and decided on the candidates for the City Manager position. 

“We have conducted the process clinically, even candidates who participated in these interviews commended the panel for conducting its work professionally and ethically.” 

Mxolisi Kaunda

ALSO READ: New eThekwini Municipality Exco sits for the first time