Durban mayor Mxolisi Kaunda.

• The DA is to vote with the IFP in an attempt to remove Mxolisi Kaunda as eThekwini mayor. 
• The DA called for a secret ballot in Wednesday’s council meeting. 
• The IFP signalled its intention to topple Kaunda via a motion submitted late last year.

The DA will vote with the IFP when its motion of no confidence in the ANC mayor of eThekwini, Mxolisi Kaunda, is discussed at the council meeting on Wednesday.

Opposition parties blame Kaunda for the City’s service delivery woes.

Using the provisions of section 53 of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, No. 117 of 1998 Regulations, the chief whip of the IFP, Mdu Nkosi, on 7 November 2023, called for a motion of no confidence debate against Kaunda. 

Nkosi highlighted the following failures as reasons for the motion:

• Notarised findings by the Auditor-General for several financial years, indicating financial irregularities by the metro;
• Misuse of municipal finance during the Covid-19 pandemic, “potentially affecting the resources allocated for public health and safety during a crisis”;
• Elongated delays in providing housing to flood victims, leaving vulnerable residents without adequate shelter;
• Forfeiting R1.9 billion to National Treasury on account of unspent grants meant for repairing critical infrastructure damaged by the floods.

“In light of these concerns, we call for his immediate removal as mayor. The IFP Durban Metro urges all relevant parties to take swift and decisive action to ensure the welfare and future of the eThekwini Municipality and its residents, by supporting our call for the removal of mayor Kaunda,” Nkosi said. 

READ | Storms, ageing infrastructure and vandalism contributing to eThekwini’s water woes, says mayor

The DA indicated in a statement that it would be voting with the IFP on the matter. But the DA is also pushing for an 11th-hour bid to force ANC Speaker Thabani Nyawose to acquiesce to the tabling of a motion to debate the dissolution of the eThekwini council, which would pave the way for an early municipal election.

In a press briefing on Monday, the DA said Nyawose was “frustrating” their plans.

The DA’s Thabani Mthethwa said the party had resolved to write to Nyawose, to request that he allow a secret vote for the motion, to allow all councillors to make their own decision on “this crucial undertaking”.

Mthethwa said:

“To ensure there is no intimidation of councillors who may be on the side of residents, and have suffered the consequences of having an absent mayor, the Speaker must conduct this vote through a secret ballot.

“This motion has come at the perfect time as services in the city have completely deteriorated and have reached a disappointing level never seen before under the leadership of Kaunda. We cannot continue like this.”

Mthethwa also echoed Nkosi’s statements on Kaunda’s “failures”. 

“For this reason, he must vacate his seat,” Mthethwa said. 

READ | DA’s eThekwini dissolution plan, in part, banks on EFF ambiguity, MK Party’s ‘infiltration’ of ANC

“Though the Speaker seems to be hesitant and evading tabling our motion, which is that he must call a special council meeting to debate it, we are closely monitoring his attitude towards this issue and commend him for finally committing in today’s whips meeting with all parties to call a special meeting to provide a suitable date for tabling this motion.

“We stand ready to fight for this motion to finally be tabled as it is likely the only thing that can save the collapsing city, being destroyed by the EFF and the ANC.”

The motion of no confidence is going to be heard as residents of eThekwini have been taking to the street to air their frustrations with the lack of service delivery – and, most recently on Monday, residents of the municipality protested against the lack of water in several parts of eThekwini.