eThekwini ratepayer groups are cautiously optimistic about a new mayor, saying his success lies in building collaborative partnerships.
The municipality has been without a mayor since Mxolisi Kaunda was recalled by the ANC two weeks ago to take up a position with the National Council of Provinces.
The new mayor was to be elected during a full council meeting on Tuesday, but that did not materialise due to the absence of an IEC team to facilitate the process and a chief magistrate to conduct the swearing in.
Former KwaZulu-Natal arts and culture MEC Cyril Xaba, who has also served as an ANC MP, was identified as the front-runner for the mayoral position.
He was announced as Kaunda’s replacement in council and is expected to take his executive committee seat.
Ratepayer associations had a mixed reaction to the postponement of electing the city’s first citizen.
“I think the postponement was a good gesture for them to make certain that there would be no repeat of any mistakes or incompetence for the mayor they put in place,” said Imraan Bennet, chairperson of the Austerville Ratepayers Residents Association and Civics Organisation.
Ish Prahladh, president of eThekwini Residents and Ratepayers Association, had a different view.
“I think it’s very unfortunate they couldn’t elect the mayor. The mayor needs to be put in place urgently because there are so many issues affecting residents. The electricity and water bill issue, for example — it’s bad.”
Allison Schoeman, from eThekwini United Ratepayers, Business, and Civics Organisation and the deputy chairperson of the Bluff Ratepayers and Residents Association, also voiced frustration over “persistent problems” in the city, which she says have “exacerbated administrative inefficiencies and a lack of effective leadership”.
She said service delivery issues such as uncollected waste and inadequate disaster response, as well as legal claims facing the city, necessitated the urgent need to appoint a mayor to help the executive committee make key decisions.
“It is crucial for the new mayor to foster a collaborative environment within the executive committee, focusing on transparency, efficiency and the welfare of all residents rather than political interests,” she said.
Bennet said Xaba will be in a good position to succeed Kaunda because the intervention of the government of national unity means he will consult all stakeholders.
“The way it will be structured now will be well balanced, and I’m optimistic that he will do a better job, he will turn the municipality around. He must be given a good two years to reach that.”
Prahladh said he was confident Xaba would make a good successor if he was “on the ground”.
“I think he will make a very good mayor. He looks like someone who knows his story. He is also a good guy and I can’t understand why there seems to be a delay about the mayor,” he said.
“He has to have his nose to the ground with the ratepayers associations to see to the needs of our people and also see to it his heads of department are doing their work, (because) at the moment they’re not. If you drive around Durban you just see potholes and roads being dug up, but they take time to be filled up again. It’s very bad.”
Schoeman praised Xaba's background in government but had reservations about his possible lack of “extensive local government experience”.
“The potential election of Cyril Xaba as the new mayor of eThekwini Municipality marks a significant point of reflection and opportunity for our city. It brings both hope and uncertainty,” she said.
“While he has a strong background in governance and legal affairs, his absence from local council activities raises concerns about his familiarity with the issues facing eThekwini. His success will depend heavily on his ability to quickly get up to speed and build strong relationships with community leaders and stakeholders.”
Schoeman also raised the lack of public participation in the process.
“It is distressing civil society has not been involved in the process of appointing the new mayor. Our constitution allows for public participation in matters that affect citizens, and the appointment of a new mayor is a matter of significant public interest. If the citizens do not accept the elected mayor, it will further strain an already significantly strained relationship between the ratepayers and the municipality.”
eThekwini speaker Thabani Nyawose emerged as the ratepayers' preferred alternative.
Prahladh said Nyawose knows how to work with ratepayers, and while not a pushover, he also has an open-door policy.
Bennet agreed that Nyawose would be able to hit the ground running because of his experience in dealing with the different stakeholders in the city.
