Ekurhuleni opposition calls for Mayor Xhakaza’s resignation amid metro’s instability

Opposition parties in the City of Ekurhuleni are calling for Mayor Doctor Xhakaza to resign amid political and governance instability in the metro.

On Thursday, Xhakaza’s right hand man, Jongizizwe Dlabathi, abruptly resigned from the mayoral committee, with reports there was a big fallout between the two.

Dlabathi’s resignation comes hot on the heels of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) pulling out of the governing coalition in the metro and ActionSA refusing the African National Congress (ANC)’s offer to join.

ALSO READ:

ANC navigates a precarious minority rule in Ekurhuleni

EFF pulls out of ANC-led governing coalition in Ekurhuleni

ANC in Ekurhuleni leaves the door open for ActionSA

“We wish to assure the residents of Ekurhuleni that there is no crisis in the City of Ekurhuleni. There is no crisis in the leadership of the executive mayor and his team,” said Dlabathi during a media briefing last Friday.

A week later, Dlabathi resigned as the MMC for Finance and the ANC’s regional secretary in Ekurhuleni.

This has caused a further headache for Xhakaza.

He is currently without a finance MMC, a council speaker and has a limited timeline to pass an adjustment budget while leading a minority coalition government.

Both the EFF and ActionSA have released media statements calling for Xhakaza’s head.

On Wednesday night, Xhakaza named Dora Mlambo as the MMC for Economic Development.

This resulted in Mlambo having to resign as Ekurhuleni’s Council Speaker on Thursday, leaving the metro without a presiding officer.

With the ANC leading a minority government, it will need to make a deal with its former foes - the EFF, ActionSA or the Democratic Alliance (DA) - to elect a new speaker.

The EFF in Gauteng said Xhakaza’s decision did not make sense.

“Making such a drastic change mere hours before council was due to vote on the adjusted budget created institutional uncertainty and directly contributed to the collapse of council. This was not an oversight, but a deliberate and calculated move to plunge the municipality into turmoil at a time when stability is desperately needed,” its statement reads.

“These actions are consistent with the misleadership pattern of Dr Xhakaza, which we have consistently warned the public about. The only way to put an end to this madness is to have him removed from the position of executive mayor, which he has already dishonoured.”

ActionSA said Xhakaza has plunged Ekurhuleni into chaos.

“In just two weeks, the mayor has reshuffled his mayoral committee twice in a unilateral decision that even members of his own political party are found wanting. ActionSA rejected the undermining move by the mayor and the ANC to force us into a coalition government that has no credibility and marred with reports of corruption.”

ActionSA said Xhakaza and his coalition government are running the risk of having the municipality placed under administration the longer the adjustment budget goes unpassed.