IFP: Disquiet at Mayor Zandile Gumede’s leave extension

11 July 2019

The Inkatha Freedom Party expresses its disquiet at the ANC's decision to extend Mayor Zandile Gumede's leave by another thirty days. The IFP looks at this as a delaying tactic by the ANC to arrive at the inevitable, the election of a new mayor in Ethekwini.

“When mayor Gumede was given a thirty days leave by the ANC, we in the IFP questioned the logic and reasoning behind this very short time-frame given the intensity of the issues involved,” said Mr Velenkosini Hlabisa, Leader of the official opposition in KwaZulu Natal. The IFP wonders whether another thirty days will make any sense at all in resolving the impasse at hand.

Hlabisa went on to say, “The IFP is further urging the law enforcement authorities and the justice authorities in the country to probe whether the bail conditions given to mayor Gumede were not violated prior to her being given leave of absence by her party.”  If this was the case, Hlabisa said that the IFP will urge the relevant authorities to ensure that the law takes its course in enforcing compliance with the rule of law.

“All the measures taken to postpone and delay matters is a slap in the face by the ruling party to the voters of Ethekwini municipality,” added Hlabisa.

The IFP calls upon the ANC to be bold enough and fire Zandile Gumede before the state of Ethekwini Metro deteriorates to the unacceptable levels. The protests marches by different factions of the ANC in Ethekwini further worsening the stability of the Municipality and service delivery. The ANC Councilors who are sympathetic to Zandile Gumede have long started to undermine the sitting of various portfolios by affecting the quorum which impacts negatively on service delivery. Unless the ANC is decisive on this matter and live with that decision, the Municipality is bound to collapse.

"The IFP calls upon the ANC to fire Zandile Gumede without any delay because this is inevitable’’ concluded Hlabisa 

Issued by Velenkosini Hlabisa, Leader of the official opposition in KZN, 11 July 2019