There are concerns over leadership vacuum in the eNdumeni Local Municipality. Picture: Facebook/Endumeni Local Municipality
Durban — The Democratic Alliance in Endumeni Local Municipality has expressed concerns at the leadership vacuum after the Mayor Siyabonga Ndlovu resigned on Friday.
Ndlovu, an Inkatha Freedom Party councillor, allegedly resigned due to the DA’s mounting pressure. The DA filed for a motion of no confidence against Ndlovu. For a week, the tiny municipality in Dundee, north-west of KwaZulu-Natal has been without a mayor.
In terms of the laws governing municipalities, a day is too long for any municipality to be without a mayor or acting mayor. The Endumeni situation is compounded by the fact that it never had a deputy mayor since the establishment of the council after the 2021 local government elections. It was the DA that turned down the offer although it assisted IFP to govern the municipality.
Speaking to the Daily News on Thursday, DA caucus leader and Executive Committee member, Saleem Abdul said since Ndlovu’s resignation it has been quiet and no one has said anything, adding that it was strange to go so many days without a mayor or acting mayor.
“This is concerning. It’s uncommon for the municipality to go so many days without a political head or at least anyone acting in the position. I have been constantly checking my emails with the hope of seeing an invitation from the Speaker to come to a meeting,” said Abdul.
Additionally, the IFP caucus leader, Xolani Msezane said he is also in the dark on when the Speaker would convene the meeting. Sources within the municipality say they do not understand why a mayor is not being elected since the name of the future mayor has been known since last week.
Speaker, Andile Nsibande played down the issue of a vacuum in leadership. Nsibande stated that he was waiting for the Electoral Commission of South Africa to declare the vacancy which they had done on Thursday. Nsibande said he will convene a meeting soon.
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