Special council meeting on compromised eThekwini City Manager cancelled

A special council meeting to decide the fate of beleaguered eThekwini City manager, Sipho Nzuza, was called off at the last minute after ANC councillors arrived late on Monday.

“We were supposed to deal with this issue today which we regard as very important as the DA but unfortunately as we were supposed to start at 11:00 by 11:30 the ANC (African National Congress) was not here,” said Thabani Mthethwa, Democratic Alliance eThekwini Chief Whip.

“We understand they are still busy fighting among themselves. It is unfortunate that the ANC decided not to respect and honour this meeting because this meeting was supposed to be used to take the city forward and make sure these issues are reserved once and for all.”

The matter that was supposed to be presented before council for debate was Nzuza’s special leave application.

Nzuza submitted the application after he got arrested again for contravening his bail conditions.

Nzuza was initially arrested alongside former eThekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede and 14 others in the matter of the irregular Durban Solid Waste tender that cost in excess of R430 million.

In his latest court appearance, Nzuza’s bail conditions were altered to be more strict, something that he thinks hampers his ability to carry out his duties as an accounting officer.

It is not clear when the next council meeting will be. Nzuza is due back in court on 10 December.