Chaos erupted outside the Civic Hall today (May 5), which prevented a scheduled council meeting from taking place. The uThukela council meeting had been convened by the Department of Co-operative Governance & Traditional Affairs (CoGTA)

One of the key issues on the agenda was a ‘vote of no confidence’ against the speaker and the mayor, which would effectively end the IFP’s control of uThukela.

Before the meeting could take place, IFP leadership argued with CoGTA officials that an independent councillor was no longer a councillor. Cllr Ngwenya, according to the IFP, had been recalled by the DA, who had installed him, and they stressed that he was no longer on the IEC list.

CoGTA officials had a different list that included the councillor.

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A large crowd of IFP members, which included IFP councillors from other municipalities, gathered at the venue and effectively prevented Cllr Ngwenya from entering the hall. IFP supporters clashed with ANC aligned councillors.

CoGTA officials and IFP leadership failed to reach an agreement, and the meeting ‘collapsed’.

According to uThukela Mayor Inkosi NB Shabalala, the meeting could not sit because it was delayed for over 30 minutes. This is set down in Council Standing Rules.

Read the full story in next week’s edition of the Ladysmith Gazette.

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