Demonstrations over ward candidates as eThekwini councillors sworn in
KZN's Cooperative Governance MEC, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, has warned her department will not hesitate to intervene where councillors fail to do their job.
She was speaking at the Durban City Hall where 220 eThekwini councillors are currently being sworn in by Durban Chief Magistrate Edmond Ngubane.
The ANC in eThekwini Metro has 126 councillors, followed by the DA with 59. The IFP has 10 and the EFF 8.
Meanwhile - residents from various areas in the eThekwini Municipality are demonstrating outside Durban City Hall where the first council meeting is underway.
Ward 19 in Clermont, ward 75 in Lamontville and ward 95 in Folweni are amongst the groups carrying placards - maintaining that councillors elected are not those chosen by the community.
They're also claiming ballot boxes were found dumped after voting day.
Angel Luthaka is a resident in Umlazi's ward 80.
"The thing is, the person that's actually going to be allocated to us in Ward 80 is not actually the candidate that we've chosen. [The] ANC has decided to bring us their own candidate, and they're not paying regard to what we are saying. And the other thing - the person who they brought to us is not even paying attention - he's not even coming to our community."
The council meeting will end later today.
#eThekwini Residents of Ward 19 (Clermont) say they do not want the councillor who they say has been forced on them pic.twitter.com/pHD2QW1tm8
— Khatija Nxedlana (@its_KhaTija) August 23, 2016
#eThekwini Scenes from outside Durban City Hall where supporters are viewing proceedings from 2 big screens pic.twitter.com/WOtovly6w2
— Khatija Nxedlana (@its_KhaTija) August 23, 2016