The Active Citizens Coalition has written to eThekwini Municipality speaker Thabani Nyawose tabling an urgent motion to remove Mxolisi Kaunda as both the mayor and member of the executive committee in the next full sitting of the council.
Active Citizens Coalition’s councillors Muhammed Ismail and Imitiaz Syed stated in their letter to Nyawose that “in line with provision 53 (1) of the local government: Municipal Structures Act, they intend to table a motion of no confidence which could see Kaunda removed as the executive mayor on the municipality”.
Nyawose confirmed that his office had received the letter, adding that a “whips meeting” would be convened on Friday this week to discuss the matter.
“The rules provide that each councillor can submit an urgent motion within 24 hours and when the speaker receives the motion, he then acknowledges the letter and proceeds to convene a meeting of all party whips where we all deliberate and take the matter forward on whether the motion is accepted or rejected.
“After having applied my mind as the speaker of the council, I will then take a decision on whether the motion to remove the mayor will be tabled when the council sits,” said Nyawose.
In motivating for Kaunda’s removal, Ismail and Syed listed a number of Kaunda’s failures and the mayor and chairperson of the executive committee.
“eThekwini municipality under the leadership of mayor Mxolisi Kaunda lost approximately 60% in revenue from water purchased from uMngeni Water. This accounts for about R2 billion in the current financial year.
“In the north of eThekwini, people are faced daily with challenges of water shortages and electricity outages wherein we find ordinary citizens, who have not protested before, taking to the streets. In the south of eThekwini, there is the infrastructure that has not to date been addressed nor has any … plan been communicated to the citizens of eThekwini.”
The letter continued: “Flood victims have had to be moved to temporary accommodation at a major cost to the city without a clear projected plan for the relocation, while noting that citizens of eThekwini, who have had their homes damaged due to a lack of storm infrastructure have to date not had any response from the city.
“The issue of homelessness and vagrancy have been long outstanding, however, the urgency in terms of cable theft and damage to city infrastructure has now become an issue of safety and security of the citizens of which the mayor has to date not addressed.”
They added that Kaunda failed to keep the beaches clean which led to beaches being closed during the festive season.
“This in turn has cost the city serious financial prejudice in lost revenue over the festive season, coupled with serious reputational damage as a chosen tourist destination, locally and internationally.”
Councillor Mdu Nkosi of the IFP said his party would have to deliberate on whether to support or reject the motion at their next caucus meeting.
Philani Mavundla, the leader of the ABC and former Durban deputy mayor, said his party would support the motion because the residents deserved better services from the municipality.
“We want to reassure the people of eThekwini that we will continue to fight for better service delivery and therefore any initiative meant to ensure good governance and service delivery takes the centre stage in our party,” said Mavundla.
EFF councillor Thamisanqa Xuma said his party would make a decision after its caucus meeting on Wednesday evening.
Contacted for comment, Kaunda’s spokesperson Mluleki Mtungwa said that he would not comment as he was on leave and therefore did not have the information.
Efforts to solicit a comment from Kaunda were unsuccessful as he did not reply to written questions, and also did not take calls from the Falcons.