Service delivery concerns spark DA’s no-confidence motion in Endumeni

IFP KZN chairperson Thami Ntuli and the DA’s Dean Macpherson. I Bongani Mbatha/ Independent Newspapers

IFP KZN chairperson Thami Ntuli and the DA’s Dean Macpherson. I Bongani Mbatha/ Independent Newspapers

Published Oct 29, 2024

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Durban — The Democratic Alliance has filed a motion of no confidence against the Inkatha Freedom Party Endumeni Local Municipality mayor Siyabonga Ndlovu.

The motion was filed in September but the speaker of the municipality councillor Andile Martin Nsibande has yet to call for a council meeting. This has angered the DA caucus leader councillor Saleem Abdool, who filed the motion.

The municipality was one of the hung municipalities where the IFP needed the DA to snatch it from the ANC in 2021 local government elections. In the 13-seat council, both IFP and the ANC have five apart while DA has two. The other seat went to the Philani Mavundla’s Abantu Batho Congress. Strangely, during the allocation of positions, the DA was offered deputy mayor’s position but turned it down.

Speaking to the Daily News, on Tuesday, Abdool claimed that the “mayor fell asleep in a meeting” but this was not the reason why he had filed the motion. Abdool was more concerned about the mayor's performance on service delivery.

On whether the DA will forward its candidate if the motion is successful, Abdool said that it will be taken up by the provincial leadership.

The motion is likely to benefit the ANC rather than the DA because of the number of seats the ANC has. Given the parties’ relationship, the DA is unlikely to support the ANC candidate.

Abdool said the DA was not power hungry and is not interested in the positions but on service delivery for the people, hence it turned down the deputy mayor’s position offer from the IFP.

IFP caucus leader Xolani Msezane said his party provincial leadership is aware of the matter since he reported it, adding he is waiting for the directive from the party on how to handle it when the council sits to discuss it.

The Daily News understands that the IFP is in preparation to appoint a new mayor since it had already conducted interviews for the position.

The DA has been voting with the IFP for an extended period of time in the province. Their relationship has culminated in the formation of a Government of Provincial Unity. It is not yet clear whether this fallout will spill over into other municipalities and to the provincial legislature

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