Durban, KwaZulu-Natal – In a surprise development, Cyril Xaba has been elected Mayor of eThekwini Municipality, despite the African National Congress (ANC) not securing a majority vote in the recent local government elections.
According to sources, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) were undecided on who to support for the mayoral position, whilst Action SA considered fielding Zwakele Mncwango as their candidate. In an unexpected move, Mncwango nominated Thabani Mthethwa from the Democratic Alliance (DA), who declined the nomination.
The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), DA, Action SA, and EFF – the minority block – voted for Xaba in a secret ballot, paving the way for his election as Mayor. The IFP had considered backing Xaba, whilst the National Freedom Party (NFP) opted to retain the Deputy Mayorship.
The election of Xaba as Mayor has sparked widespread disappointment and outrage amongst the citizens of eThekwini Municipality, who feel that their democratic rights are being disregarded. Many are questioning the point of voting, as the party that won the majority of votes has been sidelined.
This development has raised concerns about the state of democracy in South Africa, and the ability of smaller parties to influence the outcome of elections.
Photo | eThekwini Municipality
