By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The ANC successfully removed the Abantu Batho Congress (ABC) leader and deputy mayor, Philani Mavundla, from the executive committee at the full Council Meeting.
The motion to remove Mavundla 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 mayor Mxolisi Kaunda who felt that he was encroaching on his turf and overshadowing him.
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.
“The urgent notice of motion to remove Councillor PG Mavundla as the Deputy Mayor was passed at the sitting, with 125 votes in support, 59 votes against and 5 abstaining, the motion was passed,” said the City in a statement released today.
“The notice of motion was submitted in terms of Section 21(1) of the Rules of Order By-Law 2014, to remove Councillor Mavundla from the seat allocated in the ANC’s proportional allocation in the Executive Committee,” said the City.
The DA’s caucus head, Thabani Mthethwa, whose party voted against the motion to remove Mavundla, said it was unfair to blame one person for the ongoing infrastructure issues.
“The infrastructure problems have been ongoing for the last 10 years. Mavundla is a fall-guy here. You cannot blame Mavundla completely for this. We are worried about the instability of the human settlements and infrastructure portfolio,” Mthethwa said.