Speaker re-elected
Peace in our
time?
uMhlathuze City
Mayor - Ald Denny
Moffatt and City
Speaker - Cllr
Elphas Mbatha have
Dave
Savides
CITY of
uMhlathuze Speaker -
Cllr Elphas Mbatha,
lost his position
briefly on Tuesday
but was soon
reinstated.
In an afternoon
filled with drama,
the first surprise
came at the start of
the 2pm Exco meeting
when Nadeco
Councillor Bheki
Gumede’s resignation
from Exco was
announced.
Gumede occupied a
seat given to his
party by the ANC
after the 1 March
elections, where the
ANC and Nadeco had
entered into an
alliance.
Nadeco has since
entered into an
alliance with the
IFP.
According to Nadeco
District Chairperson
- Tobias Gumede,
handing the seat
back was ‘the right
thing to do’.
‘They gave it; they
have the right to
take it back,’ he
said.
‘At present, Nadeco
feels that we have
been used by all
parties and we might
well decide to go it
alone in future.
‘We are concerned
about serving
people, not
positions, and we
will support issues
rather than
parties.’
Unexpected
turnaround
The 5pm General
Council Meeting
began with all
parties voicing
regret over the
current ‘sad state
of affairs’,
specifically the
constant bickering
that has fuelled
passions and led to
walkouts,
demonstrations and
legal actions.
Following a High
Court Order that an
IFP alliance motion
submitted on 18
September calling
for the removal of
the Speaker (Cllr
Elphas Mbatha) be
upheld, the item
headed the Council
agenda.
A counter-proposal
that the Speaker not
be removed was
defeated by 30 votes
to 28 in the 60-seat
Council, and Mbatha
was officially
removed from office.
This was immediately
followed by a secret
vote for the new
Speaker, with Cllr
Elphas Mbatha (ANC)
and Cllr Bheki
Gumede (Nadeco)
being the only
nominees.
In an unlikely turn
of events, Mbatha
sneaked home by 31
votes to 29.
In contrast to the
past eight months’
unruly meetings at
both Exco and
General Council, the
entire meeting was
conducted in an
orderly and
dignified manner.
Calls for peace
Expressing his
appreciation of the
outcome, and
especially of the
‘courage’ shown by
Gumede, Mbatha said
the divisions of the
past should be done
away with.
‘We must, especially
as senior
councillors who have
not been the right
example to new
councillors, create
space for each other
and move ahead.
‘I want to assure
all, including the
Mayor, that I am
committed to making
this Council work,’
said Mbatha.
‘We are responsible
to unite the Council
and must separate
the big things we do
well from the small
things that
detract.’
In response, Mayor
Denny Moffatt called
for matters to
become ‘calm and
collected in
Council, so that we
do not have to waste
money on lawsuits’.
‘We look to a
happier Council
under your control,’
he told Mbatha.
Effectively, the
status quo is now as
it was nine months
ago - with the same
Mayor, Deputy Mayor
and Speaker in place
- but at vast
expense to the
ratepayers and
political parties.
The remaining issue
of the ANC
nomination for their
vacant Exco seat was
deferred to the next
General Council
Meeting.
