DA shown Durban city council door

31 July 2015 - 02:10 By Matthew Savides

A light-hearted jab at Durban mayor James Nxumalo's bid to lead the ANC's powerful eThekwini region resulted in the DA being thrown out of a city council meeting yesterday. For months Nxumalo has been in a bitter stand-off with fellow eThekwini councillor Zandile Gumede over who will lead the ANC's biggest and most influential region ahead of next year's local government elections.Since December, the party's regional elective conference has been postponed twice. It was also once declared null and void because of allegations of vote-buying - and a re-convened conference was abandoned after it degenerated into chaos.The battle between the two ANC factions is crucial because the winner is likely to be eThekwini's next mayor.At yesterday's sitting of the municipality's full council, DA caucus leader Zwakele Mncwango joked that Nxumalo was looking "relaxed" because Gumede was not at the meeting.After loud objections from the ANC, Speaker Logie Naidoo intervened.Said Naidoo: "If you don't withdraw [that comment] you will leave me with no choice but to ask you to leave the meeting."But Mncwango refused, arguing that his comment had not been intended to offend. Naidoo ordered him out.Other DA councillors then walked out in support of their leader.Some people in the public gallery, including high school children who had been invited to watch civic democracy in action, and some ANC councillors, goaded the DA councillors as they left, defying Naidoo calls for order.The chaos started just before Mncwango was about to speak on the municipality's Women's Day programme and on eThekwini approval of a R3.2-million contribution to a "maidens' conference" ahead of this year's Reed Dance.At the municipality's executive committee meeting on Tuesday - at which the contribution was discussed - Mncwango was criticised for being "too white" by the IFP and the National Freedom Party, following his objection to the "wasting" of taxpayers' money...

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.