The EFF in KZN has declared war on the City of uMhlathuze and vowed to make it ungovernable.
This follows the arrest of five leaders in the province including the provincial chair Mongezi Twala, after they stormed council offices on Thursday demanding three former councillors who were expelled from the party be kicked out of the municipality.
Twala, Sabelo Khubisa, Simphiwe Ndlela, Simo Gumede and Vusimuzi Cele appeared at the Richards Bay magistrate's court on Monday and Tuesday. The matter was adjourned to Wednesday for formal bail application.
They are charged with contravening the gatherings laws, assault and malicious damage to property.
They were reminded in custody after magistrate Vincent Hlatshwayo asked to recuse himself because Khubisa is a colleague.
Khubisa is a lawyer and also an EFF secretary in the King Cetshwayo region.
A KwaDukuza magistrate will preside over the matter on Wednesday.
♦️Must Watch♦️
— EFF KZN (@EFFKZN) January 28, 2025
Fighters singing outside the Richards Bay Magistrate’s Court , in support of the Provincial Chairperson @MongeziTwa80329 and four other accused who appeared before court today following last week's picket at UMhlathuze Municipality.
No Retreat, No Surrender! pic.twitter.com/ijFRgMpr6Z
KwaZulu-Natal EFF secretary Nkululeko Ngubane told TimesLIVE on Tuesday they would continue with protests at council meetings until former councillors Khululiwe Mtshali, Happy Khuzwayo and Philile Nyawo are removed from the council. The three were fired for failing to bus members to the party's 11th birthday anniversary last year.
Ngubane said they are not afraid of jail.
“If you are a revolutionist, being arrested and jailed is an honour, that is why we are not shaken by these arrests,” Ngubane said. “Any self-respecting organisation can fight this and we can[not] allow a situation when the voices of the people who voted is suppressed; people voted for EFF and the party has a right to fire its councillors when [it] deem[s] it necessary,” said Ngubane.
He said the IFP was protecting the councillors for their political interests because they wanted a majority in the council.
Ngubane said what is happening at uMhlathuze was also happening in Hlabisa, Nkandla and Mthonjaneni.
IFP national spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa said the matter had nothing to do with them.
“This is between the municipality and the EFF,” said Hlengwa.
He said Ngubane's threat of violence was “stupidity”.
TimesLIVE
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