The EFF in KwaZulu-Natal has welcomed a Durban high court ruling dismissing with costs uMhlathuze municipality’s attempt to stop the party from protesting at council meetings.
The matter between the municipality and the party was heard on Tuesday.
The two have been at loggerheads over three councillors who were expelled by the EFF. The party alleges the municipality is “harbouring” them since it has not declared their vacancies even though they were fired.
EFF leaders stormed the municipality building demanding the councillors be removed from the council. The red berets vowed to render the council ungovernable until their demands were met.
KZN EFF chairperson Mongezi Thwala described the judgment as a victory for democracy, the rule of law and the people of uMhlathuze. Thwala said ratepayers should not be “silenced by a corrupt municipality”.
“Any government who resorts to the courts to prevent its own people from raising legitimate concerns is dangerous and stands against the interests of the people,” he said.
Thwala said the actions of the uMhlathuze municipality, under the IFP, were an “attack on the constitution”, which guarantees the right to protest as a fundamental pillar of democracy.
“In this year of the picket lines, the EFF in KwaZulu-Natal will intensify its pickets in uMhlathuze. We will be present at every ‘bogus’ council meeting, exposing their corruption and illegitimacy until the three seats that rightfully belong to the EFF are restored,” said Thwala.
He said the mayor should stop using taxpayers’ money to fund his ambitions for power.
Thwala said the mayor went to court without a council resolution and they lost the application with costs, which was wasteful expenditure.
“The municipality is not his personal empire to loot while the people suffer. We commend the courts for upholding the rights of the people and reaffirm our commitment to relentless and fearless activism. The EFF will continue to stand with the people of uMhlathuze in the fight against corruption,” he said.
Mayor Xolani Ngwezi said he was acting as per the powers granted to him in terms of the Municipal Finance Management Act and the Municipal Structures Act. He didn't want to respond to claims of “harbouring” for political gain.
IFP spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa said the party would not respond to the EFF's “baseless” claims.
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