Abantu Batho Congress leader Philani Mavundla said the reason for his removal as the mayor was because he was fighting for a Zulu independent state. Picture: Nqobile Mbonambi/ Independent Newspapers
Durban — Abantu Batho Congress (ABC) leader and uMvoti Local Municipality mayor Philani Mavundla says he is ready to forgo his mayoral benefits to fight for an independent state for the Zulu nation.
The former eThekwini deputy mayor will Tuesday (today) face a motion of no confidence at a special council meeting convened by KZN Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
Mavundla on Monday said he was not bothered by the motion; he has long been prepared to leave office if anyone thought he would abandon his fight for the independence of the Zulu nation. He was not prepared to compromise for mayoral benefits.
He was not in politics for positions but because of his passion to serve people, he said. He made history in 2011 by becoming the first mayor to work without a salary. At that time, he was an ANC mayor in the same municipality.
Mavundla, a confessed secessionist, questioned the legality of the meeting. He did not understand why Cogta MEC Bongi Sithole-Moloi had to intervene after the speaker and acting municipal manager had told her it was these two parties’ (IFP and ANC) councillors who were not attending the meeting to discuss the motions.
“I have a problem with the legality of the meeting, but if it does sit and remove me it is fine. I am not prepared to compromise my party’s policy.
“I know I am being removed as the mayor because I am fighting for the Zulus to get back their land. Zulus must know the ANC and IFP do not want them to get their land back.”
Mavundla said he had done an analysis and consulted extensively and was adamant the province can be an independent state.
With the ANC’s eight seats and the IFP’s 10, Mavundla’s removal looks certain as his party has only six councillors. The ANC no longer wanted him because of his party advocating for independence of the Zulu nation “which the ANC regards as tribalism”.
Mavundla said after falling out with the ANC for advocating for Zulu nationalism, he approached the IFP in uMvoti but it turned down his request because the ANC had reportedly agreed to give mayoral and speaker positions to the IFP.
ANC provincial spokesperson Mafika Mndebele dismissed the allegations, saying there was no agreement yet on council position allocations.
The ANC and IFP both agreed to remove Mavundla as mayor, he said, citing Mavundla’s failure to manage relations as the main reason why the ANC no longer wanted to work with him.
IFP national spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa said the issue of Mavundla and uMvoti was about ensuring stability in the pursuit of service delivery.
“The IFP opposed the apartheid regime’s scheme to balkanise South Africa. We thus will not support any move to dismantle South Africa under false pretences anchored in tribalism.”
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