ANC expected to sack KwaDukuza Mayor Ali Ngidi amid governance concerns

In what would be a major decision since appointed in February, Jeff Radebe’s KwaZulu-Natal provincial task team (PTT) is expected to announce the sacking of KwaDukuza Local Municipality Mayor Ali Ngidi.

The announcement is expected to be made by the PTT coordinator, Mike Mabuyakhulu, in a meeting with the municipality leadership and the newly appointed regional task team on Wednesday afternoon.

The party did not specify Mabuyakhulu’s visit to the troubled north coast municipality in a media invitation, except to say the critical meeting is convened to address pressing governance-related matters affecting the municipality.

The statement added that the ANC is deeply concerned about developments that threaten the stability and integrity of the municipality.

However, reliable sources within the municipality said Mabuyakhulu will table the recommendations by the team that the party appointed to investigate allegations of maladministration, particularly the vehicle and security scandals involving the mayor.

The source said the party has made a decision to fire both the mayor and his deputy.

In February, the mayor was accused of using the municipality's vehicle to transport his children to school. The said vehicle was reported to be the one that the mayor had refused to use, citing its mechanical fault. His refusal to use the vehicle forced the municipality to hire a car for his official use.

The source said the last straw was when, in April, the ANC discovered that the municipality was paying R173,000 for the mayor’s home security without a known threat assessment and approval by the council.

The party has appointed a team to investigate all the allegations against the mayor.

Ngidi was appointed in November after the removal of Lindiwe Nhanca, who had been appointed in 2021. She fell out with the disbanded Siboniso Duma and Bheki Mtolo-led provincial executive and was fired.

If Ngidi is removed, the R3.2 billion-budget municipality will have the third mayor within a five-year term.

ANC provincial spokesperson Fanle Sibisi said the ANC will respond to the question on whether the mayor has been fired during a media briefing in the afternoon.

willem.phungula@inl.co.za