The City of Ekurhuleni Mayor, Doctor Xhakaza, has announced a reshuffle of the mayoral committee, effective February 17, sparking renewed political tensions within the council.

A notable development in the reshuffle is the inclusion of ActionSA councillor Xolani Khumalo in the executive. At the same time, two EFF councillors, Bridget Thusi, formerly MMC for Community Services, and Kgopello Hollo, formerly MMC for Human Settlements, have been removed from their positions.

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The EFF maintains that both councillors performed well in their respective portfolios and rendered exemplary service to the residents of Ekurhuleni.
Despite Khumalo’s appointment, ActionSA has rejected any involvement in the mayor’s executive. The EFF has similarly declined to participate in the reconstituted mayoral committee, opting instead to take up seats on the opposition benches.

Several of the newly appointed MMCs, following a late-night reshuffle, were officially sworn in on February 18 at the OR Tambo Government Precinct.
New mayoral committee appointments:
• Metro Utilities (Trading) Services: Jean Sthato
• Metro Operations and Maintenance: Nomadlozi Nkosi
• Human Settlements: Leshaka Manamela
• Development Planning and Real Estate: Dino Peterson
• Roads and Transport: Lindiwe Mnguni
• Community Services and By-law Enforcement: Xolani Khumalo
• Community Safety: Mzayifani Ngwenya
• Corporate Shared Services: Siphumule Ntombela
• Infrastructure and Economic Development Agency (EDA): Thembi Msane
• Finance and Strategy: Jongizizwe Dlabathi

Mayor defends decision
Defending the reshuffle, Xhakaza said the changes followed extensive consultations with multi-party organisations represented in council, including 13 of the 16 political parties.

“An agreed-upon Ekurhuleni Governance Framework has been widely accepted to guide the work of the executive,” he said.
“This framework serves as the foundation for strengthening a sustainable Ekurhuleni Government of Local Unity (EGLU).”

Offer rejected
In a statement, ActionSA categorically rejected any involvement in the appointment of its mayoral candidate, Xolani Khumalo, as MMC for Community Services and By-law Enforcement.

“Following repeated and unsuccessful attempts by the mayor to solicit ActionSA’s participation in his administration, I have consistently made it clear that we will not join his failing government and have rejected every personal and formal approach made to us,” the party said.
“Our position has been very clear on every occasion that we will not lend credibility to an administration that has overseen the lawlessness and deterioration of service delivery that continues to cripple the city.

“The people of Ekurhuleni are tired of dysfunction, lawlessness and the collapse of basic municipal services. ActionSA’s focus remains on restoring governance, rooting out corruption, reinstating the rule of law and fixing the fundamentals of service delivery. These are priorities we intend to implement when we secure a clear mandate from residents in the upcoming local government elections.”

The EFF also criticised what it described as the mayor’s unilateral decision to remove its two councillors from the executive.

“The EFF has taken note of the pronounced changes by the mayor of Ekurhuleni to the city’s mayoral committee, and his decision to unilaterally remove two of our councillors from the mayoral committee,” the party said.

“The EFF informs the people of Ekurhuleni that we have declined the offer to form part of the mayoral committee in the city and will humbly and gracefully accept our role in the opposition benches.”

The reshuffle has reignited political tensions within the council, particularly between the ANC-led administration and the EFF, as the city’s governance arrangements continue to evolve ahead of the local government elections late this year.

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