‘Party’ men vow action

FOUR newly elected independent councillors in eThekwini Municipality have insisted that they would remain ANC members, but that they would implement party service delivery policies which their “political home” had abandoned.

The four were among 57 in eThekwini who were fired from the ANC for contesting as independent candidates, after being aggrieved with the party’s nomination processes.

Councillors Vusumuzi Mbanjwa of Ward 12 in KwaNdengezi, Petros Nxumalo of Ward 4 in Inchanga, Mthetheleli Sibisi of Ward 103 in Cliffdale and Thandanani Mabanga of Ward 107 in Inanda defeated their ANC comrades.

The ANC provincial secretary Super Zuma said before the elections that ANC members contesting as independents had been fired from the party.

However, Mbanjwa said he remained a member of the ANC, but was not happy with the current leadership.

“I want to restore the powers of the party to my ward,” Mbanjwa said.

The former branch secretary said he would do this by working with community members in forming a committee to deal with various issues affecting them.

“We will form committees that will deal with education, transport, housing, health, social welfare, sport and religion.

“My community has a problem of drug abuse because young people have nothing better to do. I want to introduce various sport activities,” he said.

Nxumalo, who is related to outgoing mayor James Nxumalo, said he would also work with the ANC.

“I never left the ANC, and for the sake of service delivery I will work with the party,” he said.

Mabanga said he intended to upgrade low-cost houses in his area since they were small and had developed cracks.

“The previous development had also compromised the quality of our road, and I will correct that.”

He noted that the ward did not have a multipurpose centre to keep young people active.