Durban — Opposition political parties blame the ANC for not caring about the residents of eThekwini municipality ward 101, stating that there should have been a by-election, since the councillor Mzimuni Ngiba is awaiting trial.
The Daily News reported that Ngiba has collected R541 681 in the past 12 months while behind bars.
The IFP’s eThekwini councillor Mdu Nkosi said it was a disgrace that the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi should have taken a decision to fire Ngiba or have him removed so that he would stop earning a salary while in jail for murder.
Ngiba, his co-accused Nkosinathi Ngcobo, Sandile Mzizi and Sifiso Mlondo appeared in the Durban High Court on Tuesday. They are alleged to have killed ANC ward candidate Siyabonga Mkhize and ANC activist Mzukisi Nyanga. The four men are facing two counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder of Simphiwe Mlungisi Khanyile and Sicelo Notyesi, conspiracy to commit murder, unlawful possession of firearms and unlawful possession of ammunition. The case was postponed to July 17.
The state alleges that the four men conspired to kill Mkhize who contested the position of being a ward councillor, as Ngiba’s term was coming to an end after approximately 12 years of being councillor in ward 101. Moreover, the state alleges that there were two ANC factions within the ward, one called Unity and Continuity (U&C) and Renewal Rebuilding Unity (RRU).
The deceased men were members of the U&C faction and the four accused members of the RRU. Furthermore, Mkhize won as the ward councillor candidate after the ANC held branch general meetings to hold elections for the ward candidate. So that should the ANC in the ward wins the November national local government elections, Mkhize gets to be the ward councillor. The state alleged that Mkhize was endorsed by most members of the community.
The state further said the four accused and some members of the RRU were not happy with the election of Mkhize and made attempts to derail his formal endorsement by the ANC at eThekwini Municipality and failed.
“As a result, the four accused and others conspired to have the deceased killed and such killing be committed prior to the national local government elections which were to take place in November 2021,” said the state.
Mkhize died in October 2021 from multiple gunshot wounds to the head and Nyanga died as a result of gunshot wounds. The state alleged that at all relevant times during the commission of these offences, the accused acted in furtherance of the common purpose.
Nkosi said he hopes the people of ward 101 have seen the ANC for what it is.
“I hope they have seen how the ANC treats people. That ward has a lot of issues, crime, water and the ANC is not doing anything. Since the trial is set to start next year this means that people of that ward are still without a leader,” said Nkosi.
The DA caucus leader in eThekwini, Thabani Mthethwa said they have submitted a motion to the office of the Speaker, to start a process of removing councillor Ngiba.
“It is grossly unfair that the ratepayers are paying a councillor sitting in jail. We are also calling for the Speaker to be investigated for his role in this mess because he should have acted a long time ago. He has to account for this including the ANC,” said Mthethwa.
The eThekwini Municipality Speaker Thabani Nyawose said a report will be tabled to council next week Tuesday on the matter of Ngiba receiving a salary while in jail.
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