The battle for control of Msunduzi municipality’s ward 2 in Sweetwaters after the expulsion of an IFP councillor, took a turn on Tuesday with an urgent high court interdict to halt the by-elections scheduled to replace him.
Campaigning for a replacement candidate for Sibusiso Babashani Ntuli, the IFP councillor who was expelled from the ward in October, began in earnest this week for the ANC, IFP and MK Party.
However, Ntuli believes his expulsion from the party was unfair and is challenging by-elections scheduled for Tuesday.
Ntuli claims his expulsion letter was sent to a party official in uMgungundlovu district who then forwarded it to him.
“There is no complainant in my case, the party is accusing me of buying alcohol for university students, but those students are over 18 years. I was expelled without attending any party disciplinary hearing,” he said.
Ntuli said there are a number of irregularities with his expulsion, including that he was expelled by the party's general secretary of administration Mfanje Mbango.
“According to the party's constitution, a member can only be fired by the party secretary-general Siphosethu Ngcobo and not Mbango,” he said.
Mbango refused to comment and referred all queries to spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa.
“The party procedure stipulates that all media queries must be addressed to the party spokesperson, he is the one who will explain everything to you,” he said.
Attempts to contact Hlengwa were unsuccessful as the person who answered his phone said he was in a meeting. He didn't respond to WhatsApp queries.
Ntuli's lawyer Nhlanhla Zondi confirmed they filed an urgent court interdict and the matter will be heard on Monday.
Ntuli said there is an agenda behind his expulsion and he would do everything in his power to fight it.
uMgungundlovu IEC district manager Khulekani Mdadane said they were aware Ntuli had gone to court to stop the by-elections. He said while they await the court's decision, the IEC would proceed as planned with preparations. He said four parties — the IFP, ANC, MK Party and Truth and Solidarity Movement — have registered candidates for the by-elections.
The ANC lost the ward — which is considered a key ward with a population of 20,000 people and seven voting stations — to the IFP during a by-election held after the death of ANC councillor Phumlani Gabuza.
Mdadane said he was also aware of infighting in the MK Party over two candidates proposed by the community and party leadership.
Community members nominated party member Nkosikhona Mshengu as their preferred candidate. However, the party’s provincial leadership submitted Sthabiso Nkabinde's name to the IEC as its candidate.
The MK Party didn't respond to queries.
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