Durban - Despite having an urgent court interdict, the ANC in the eThekwini Municipality went ahead and removed Philani PG Mavundla as the deputy mayor to the embattled Mxolisi Kaunda.
The motion to remove Mavundla from the ABC (Abantu Batho Congress) was tabled during a full council sitting at the Durban ICC on Tuesday morning.
The motion was first filed in writing by an ANC councillor in the municipality, Yolanda Young, and the EFF then supported it.
It was later put to the ballot, 125 councillors (mainly from the ANC and EFF) supported the motion while 59 opposed it. 5 councillors abstained.
That marked the end of Mavundla’s tenure as deputy mayor where he constantly clashed with Kaunda who felt that he was encroaching on his turf and overshadowing him.
UPDATE: Despite an interdict not to table a motion, the ANC in the eThekwini municipality tabled and voted for a resolution removing Philani PG Mavundla (from ABC) as the deputy mayor to the embattled Mxolisi Kaunda. 185 councillors supported the motion while 59 opposed it.
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) December 13, 2022
The coalition between the ABC and the ANC was inked in November last year when the ANC could not muster enough seats to govern on its own.
In return for Mavundla’s support, the ANC surrendered this position and its exco seat to Mavundla, hence he ended up being the deputy mayor and the chairperson of the human settlements committee.
UPDATE: The Durban high court has halted the ANC's frantic bid to oust Philani PG Mavudla as eThekwini municipality’s deputy mayor. pic.twitter.com/M69ypS6Y9a
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) December 13, 2022
Last week it was announced that the ANC was planning to remove Mavundla, by their plan fell through when the DA walked out of the meeting and the speaker, Thabani Nyawose, was forced to call it off.
Mavundla’s lawyers then wrote to the ANC to remind the party that they have a legally binding pact which ends in 2026.
As such, they argued that it should be honoured.
However, the ANC ignored that. On Monday, Mavundla and his legal team dashed to the Durban High Court to get a compelling order that the motion to remove him not be tabled.
Despite getting the court interdict, the ANC tabled the motion and kicked him out of the position.
The position is expected to be taken by Nkosenhle Madlala, the ANC’s eThekwini deputy regional secretary, who comes from the Zandile Gumede faction that won the regional elective conference in April this year.
UPDATE: It seems as if the ANC in the eThekwini region is going ahead with its plans to remove deputy mayor, Philani PG Mavundla from his position. This is their motion which has been put through for tomorrow's full council sitting at the Durban ICC. pic.twitter.com/d2WP791GH6
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) December 12, 2022
Mavundla has called an impromptu press conference in Durban to address the latest political developments.
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