IFP expels five members from party over conduct

THE Mthonjaneni Local Municipality (Melmoth) was taking steps to address the expulsion of its mayor, and four other councillors, by the IFP in Kwazulu-natal.

The IFP dropped the bombshell on Wednesday night, leaving questions as to what had transpired.

Mthonjaneni is an administrative area in the King Cetshwayo District of Kwazulu-natal. IFP spokesperson MP Mkhuleko Hlengwa said they had convened a national council meeting on Wednesday, in terms of section 11.10 of the IFP’S constitution.

“We have unanimously resolved to expel some of the party councillors of Mthonjaneni Local Municipality with immediate effect. The councillors have been found guilty of conduct inconsistent with the IFP’S constitution, and were in defiance of party instructions. They are no longer IFP councillors,” he said.

The councillors are Sibonginkosi Biyela the mayor of Mthonjaneni Municipality; Eric Masikane, IFP executive committee member; Tholinhlanhla Ngema; Zipho Ndlovu; and Nhlonipho Buthelezi.

Hlengwa said the Mthonjaneni Municipality had been informed of this decision. He said the IFP would make announcements, regarding the filling of the mayoral vacancy, in due course.

The municipality confirmed that it had received the directive yesterday.

It did not release a statement on its contingency plans.

Meanwhile, Kwazulu-natal Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) MEC Sipho Hlomuka

is heading to the Constitutional Court on Tuesday, to try to overturn the appointments of two “inexperienced” municipal managers. Hlomuka wants the apex court to declare the appointments of Nkandla municipal manager Langelihle Jili, and his Mthonjaneni counterpart Philani Sibiya, null and void with immediate effect.

The appointments of Jili and Sibiya were declared invalid, null and void by Kwazulu-natal High Court Judge Piet Koen in February 2019, for failing to comply with the provisions of the Municipal Systems Act 2000 and its regulations.

Judge Koen set aside their appointments and ordered that the declaration of the appointments be declared as invalid, null and void, and would not be retroactive but take effect from the day of his ruling.

Jili, Sibiya and the councils of both Ifp-run municipalities approached the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA), which overturned Judge Koen’s ruling in September last year.

Jili’s appointment in 2017 was queried by Hlomuka’s predecessor, Nomusa Dube-ncube, who felt he did not have the required minimum of five years’ experience in senior management.

Dube-ncube’s attempt to have the requirement for five years’ experience in senior management waived was declined by then Cogta minister Des van Rooyen.

Sibiya’s appointment in 2016 was also challenged by Dube-ncube, on the basis that he did not have the requisite experience, before she approached the high court to have the decision to appoint both municipal managers reviewed and set aside in 2018.