DURBAN - Municipalities are expected to finalise their inaugurations by the end of this week.
District municipalities have until next Wednesday to hold their inaugural councils and elect new leadership. There are 10 district municipalities in the province, and already, three of them have completed their inaugurations. King Cetshwayo, which covers Umhlathuze, Nkandla, Mlalazi (Eshowe) and Mthonjaneni (Melmoth) local municipalities, sat on Friday and elected IFP provincial chairperson Thami Ntuli as mayor.
Ntuli has been a mayor in Nkandla for two terms previously.
In Zululand, IFP’s Thulasizwe Buthelezi returned as a mayor with the help of EFF’s Thulani Ndlovu, who was elected to the deputy mayor’s position. In Harry Gwala (Ixopo), Zamokwakhe Nxumalo returned to his mayoral position with ease.
In uMzinyathi in Dundee, IFP’s Petros Ngubane is expected to easily retain his mayoral chain. The district, which covers Greytown, Dundee, Nquthu and Msinga, sits on Monday. The IFP with 15 seats against ANC’s 11, ABC 2 and one from the DA is expected to cruise to victory.
In uMkhanyakude, ANC is also expected to elect its mayor with ease on Monday. The party received enough votes even though it lost many local municipalities. In Umgungundlovu (Pietermaritzburg), the mayor is expected to be either ANC Women League secretary Nonhlanhla Gabela or former regional secretary Mzi Zuma. The municipality is scheduled to sit on Tuesday. Another name the ANC regional task team proposed was Sbongile Dlamini, who was deputy mayor in the previous term.
Regional coordinator Mandla Zondi told the Daily News on Monday that the provincial leadership would make an announcement just before the sitting on Tuesday morning.
UThukela in Ladysmith, Ugu in Port Shepstone and Amajuba in Newcastle are scheduled to sit on Thursday. Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs spokesperson Senzo Mzila said the department does not foresee any problems in district municipalities.
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