Durban — Newly elected KwaZulu-Natal ANC provincial secretary Bheki Mtolo has resigned as Kokstad Local Municipality mayor to take on his new job in the provincial office in Durban on a full time basis.
Mtolo, who defeated Mdumiseni Ntuli in the KwaZulu-Natal provincial conference two weeks ago, tendered his resignation letter to the municipality speaker on Monday.
In the letter, which the Daily News has seen, he leaves the position with mixed feelings since he joined the municipality as deputy mayor in 2011 and returned as mayor in 2016 and was also re-elected in last year’s local government election.
“Honourable speaker, as you well know, that on July 22, 2022, I was elected the provincial secretary of the ANC, which in terms of the party constitution, such a position is designated full time. This, therefore, means I am unable to remain both as a councillor and a mayor, so I must vacate both positions. Accordingly, allow me to convey a heartfelt message that I will vacate the positions on August 31,” read the letter.
He went on to say he leaves behind one of the greatest institutions that demonstrated local government excellence, stability, and service delivery-orientated. The former party youth provincial secretary further said, as he leaves, he would carry to the battle fronts, being in higher spirit than ever before to fight poverty, unemployment, monopolistic economic system, patriarchy and Neo-liberalism.
Soon after being declared as winner, Mtolo had indicated that he would be moving to Durban soon to take up his new position on a full time basis.
His slate, which swept all the positions, included Siboniso Duma as chairperson, Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane as deputy chairperson, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Sipho Hlomuka as deputy secretary, as well as former Newcastle mayor Dr Ntuthuko Mahlaba as treasurer.
Mtolo was locked in a meeting and asked the paper to call him later, but the party regional secretary Zenzele Msomi confirmed Mtolo's resignation, adding the party would follow the normal process to find his replacement after he had left.
Daily News