The removal of mayors who are known to be backers of the IFP’s KwaZulu-Natal chairperson Thami Ntuli is believed to be part of the behind-the-scenes tension playing out with party president Velenkosini Hlabisa ahead of a crucial elective conference.
The IFP officially said that it has removed mayors for non-performance and this has nothing to do with internal tension in the organisation.
Several members of the party, known to belong to the Konke Kuhamba kahle (KKK) faction which is associated with Ntuli, are not happy with the removal of Umzinyathi district Municipality mayor Petros Ngubane, who was fired last week.
Ngubane is known to be a staunch member of the KKK and a Ntuli backer. His removal followed that another known Ntuli backer, Prince Ndabuko Zulu the mayor of Amajuba district Municipality in Newcastle, who was sacked in December.
One of the Ntuli supporters, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the two mayors’ removal had nothing to do with service delivery failures but were a deliberate strategy to neutralise Ntuli’s supporters ahead of the party’s elective conference which is expected to be held in December.
The member said the plan is to strip pro-Ntuli mayors of the resources and political power that comes with the positions, so that they cannot fund Ntuli’s campaign to contest Hlabisa if he changes his mind and accept a nomination for party president from the floor.
Ntuli has publicly stated that he will not contest Hlabisa at the conference.
Another source said even if Ntuli does not contest against Hlabisa, the president would not be comfortable leading the party with Ntuli’s supporters in the top six structure.
“We do not see how removing them will change things with only a year to the local government elections. Why keep them in their positions for a full four years, then remove them at the last minute. What will the new mayor do now with no guarantee that she or he will return to this position after the 2026 local government elections,” asked the member.
Ngubane refused to discuss the matter, saying he would speak to the media after addressing the national executive council on Monday regarding his removal.
It is understood that he has been offered a seat in the provincial legislature.
The party’;s national spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa angrily dismissed the assertion that there was a political decision to remove Ngubane.
Hlongwa said the decision was purely based on the mayor’s poor service delivery record, saying his municipality had not received a clean audit for nine years.
“I do not understand what they are talking about. Ntuli has long ago said he was not available for any position in the coming conference and the municipality had not received a clean audit for nine years.
“I think those people saying this need to have their heads checked. The party cannot entertain people talking in taverns,” said Hlengwa.
willem.phungula@inl.co.za
