PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVE STATEMENT AT THE OCCASION OF THE UNVEILING OF ANC KZN MAYORAL CANDIDATES, TUESDAY 29 JUNE 2016, DURBAN
Introduction
The ANC Provincial Executive Committee convened its ordinary meeting yesterday to reflect on the work of the organization in general and the elections campaign in particular.
Preparations for Local Government Elections
The PEC conducted a detailed assessment of the elections campaign looking closely to our strength and weaknesses in all our eleven (11) regions. Generally, we are satisfied with the pace of the campaign and certain of a decisive victory on the 3rd August 2016.
The PEC is satisfied with the work being done by our Regional and Branches to consolidate the unity of the movement as we advance to the Local Government Elections. We will continue to intervene in all wards affected by public protests and demonstrations in order to position the entire province towards a free and fair Local Government Elections.
Congratulations to DJ Black Coffee
The Provincial Executive Committee also extended its gratitude and tribute to the son of our province Nkosinathi Maphumulo popularly known as DJ Black Coffee for becoming the first South African Artist to win BET Award in the category: Best International Act-Africa.
A humble son of Umlazi Township who rose to be a national and now international music icon remains a shining example for the youth of our province. His success serves as an inspiration to all young upcoming musicians not and never be shy in pursuing their dream.
KwaZulu-Natal remains one of the leading provinces endowed by talent and excellence.
Racisms continue rear its ugly head
The ANC Provincial Executive Committee is deeply concerned that KwaZulu-Natal continues to dominate headlines on racism and racial intolerance. The recent scourge of racism which surfaced at Sodwana Bay Guest undermines the progress we have made to build a non-racial society in our province. We call on the ANC led government particularly the department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs to investigate that incident.
It is our considered view that we need an urgent and hash actions against the owners of this guest house. Our struggle for freedom was essential a struggle against white supremacy and we cannot allow a re-emergence of racism to define our national discourse.
Selection of Mayoral Candidates
Today we are introducing and official to unveiling to the people of KwaZulu-Natal the men and women who will be the face of the ANC campaign as Mayoral Candidates for strategic municipalities in our province.
The upcoming Local Government Elections which are 36 days away, are very crucial for the ANC. We want to ensure that we govern all 54 municipalities and all 870 wards in KwaZulu-Natal in order to be able to expand on the great strides that we have achieved over the past 16 years since the establishment of a democratic local government.
Local Government has not only gone through a fundamental restructuring over the past 16 years; but we have also been able to extend service delivery and development to marginalised communities. The entire ethos of local government has changed from a passive and unresponsive approach to a responsive, participatory and developmental approach.
As the ANC government we have also expanded community works programme, built and maintained roads, bridges, storm water drainage, water and sanitation facilities, public recreational facilities and other local economic infrastructure. We have also upgraded households in informal settlements and delivered more houses and serviced stands to poor people.
In the next five years we want to build on these achievements by improving access to municipal services by enhancing the institutional capacity and reducing the outsourcing of services. We also want to improve public participation and accountability to our people. It is also very important that we strengthen local economies thereby creating jobs to fight poverty and unemployment.
We want to improve our integrated developmental planning by creating decent human settlements and promoting education as an apex priority for our local communities. In order to achieve this vision of our manifesto and improve the functioning of our local municipalities we have to ensure that we deploy the best cadres who are competent to lead our wards and municipalities and deliver on the expectations of our people.
The finalisation of all ward candidates and Mayoral candidates is a culmination of an extensive internal democratic processes which placed at its core the wishes of our people and structures.
With regards to the appointment of Mayors, all RECs made recommendations of three names to the PEC in order of priority in accordance with Resolution 57 on Organisational Renewal of the ANC 52nd Conference. Those members of either the REC or PEC who were being considered for deployment had to recuse themselves when the selection process was conducted.
Accordingly we then as the Provincial Executive Committee of the ANC in KZN submitted all our candidates to the NEC for assessment. The NEC assessment sought to ascertain and ensure that there was a deployment of the best and most competent cadres to serve the movement and people.
Yesterday (Monday) the Independent Electoral Commission published all names of candidates for the local elections. Akusekho ukubuyela emuva. There is no turning back.
The nomination process did put a strain on the unity of the ANC and its alliance partners. We have however through internal political dialogue resolved all internal disputes and have reached a common ground with our alliance partners. They have now rallied behind all our ward and mayoral candidates and pledged their full support. You will from now on see the entire KZN alliance campaigning as a united force.
On Sunday, accompanied by our alliance partners we introduced the 870 ward candidates that will be contesting local government elections under the ANC banner.
It is now the time for ANC regions to go to the community to introduce these candidates to the people. Community members must know who their local candidates are. These local candidates must now begin to sell the manifesto of the ANC to their communities and win their hearts and minds.
Today we now introduce to the citizens of KZN the Mayoral candidates of our 10 districts and one Metro. We will also introduce Mayoral candidates of local municipalities which are of a strategic footprint in our province based on their geopolitical location, growth, development trajectory and economic activity among many other reasons. All municipalities are important to us and it will also be the task of regions to also introduce their local mayoral candidates to the public.
As you can see these are all comrades who have governance experience and passion for serving our people. The African National Congress is satisfied and confident that these Mayoral candidates presented consists of some of the best comrades amongst our ranks to advance our programme of radical socio-economic transformation and implement our local government manifesto.
Conclusion
We would like to thank all our comrades who are currently serving as Mayors for their loyal service to the movement and the people of KwaZulu-Natal. We have no doubt in our minds that the people of KwaZulu-Natal, in their overwhelming majority, will renew the mandate of the ANC to build on the solid foundation over the last 16 years of democratic local governance.
MAYORAL CANDIDATE PROFILES
Zululand District:Innocent Sipho Nkosi
Cde Innocent Sipho Nkosi is currently the Regional Chairperson of the ANC’s Abaqulusi region. He has also previously served as the Sub-Regional Chairperson of Pongolo. Nkosi who has also been a SADTU and NEHAWU leader is a teacher by profession and currently works as a school principal with a Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) and Bachelor of Administration (B.Admin) and Financial Management Certificate.
Umkhanyakude District: Solomon Mkhombo
Cde Solomon Mkhombo who is a teacher by profession with a Teachers Diploma and BA (Unisa) has acquired municipal experience as he is currently serving as a Mayor of UMhlabuyalingana Local Municipality which is in the Umkhanyakude District. He is also the former Regional Chairperson and Regional Treasurer of the ANC’s Far North Region. He has also served as Sub-Regional Chairperson of Umhlabuyalingana and Chairperson of the Kwa-Ngwanase SADTU branch. He is currently serving as a PEC member of the ANC in the province.
Umzinyathi District Municipality: Lindokuhle Ngubane
Cde Lindokuhle Ngubane is the current Umzinyathi District Mayor and is thus fully informed of the issues within the district. Through this candidate we would be ensuring continuity in this municipality. Cde Ngubane is currently the Chairperson of the ANC’s Inkosi Bhambhatha Region and has also served as a sub-regional Chairperson of Umsinga. He has also been a REC member of the region since 2004. Cde Ngubane is a teacher by profession with a Secondary Teachers Diploma in Education and B.Education and a National Certificate in Local Government.
uThungulu District Municipality: Nonhle Mkhulisa
Cde Nonhle Mkhulisa is another candidate that will not be new to the uThungulu District as she is currently serving as the Deputy Mayor. Cde Mkhulisa also has sufficient governance experience having served as an MP and MPL in our national and provincial legislatures. She is also currently the Regional Chairperson of the ANC’s Musa Dladla Region and has previously served as its Deputy Chair. She has also lead the ANCWL in the region. Cde Mkhulisa is a teacher by profession with a Junior Primary Teacher’s Diploma and Bachelor of Art. She has also served in all structural levels of SADTU.
iLembe District Mayor: Siduduzo Gumede
Cde Siduduzo Gumede has extensive experience in Local Government. He was part of the local government leadership during its transition into a democratic sphere. He served as a councillor in the Stanger Transitional Council and later served as its Mayor. Post the local government transition Cde Gumede also served as the Mayor of KwaDukuza Municipality. Currently he had been serving as a councillor in KwaDukuza Chairing many Committee’s including the Finance Portfolio Committee. Politically Cde Gumede serves as a PEC member of the ANC. He has also served as an REC member and Chairperson of the Greater KwaDukuza region. Cde Gumede also has a medical side as he has Bsc in Physiotherapy and worked as a Physiotherapist in various hospitals.
Ugu District: Tolomane Mnyayiza
Cde Tolomane Mnyayiza who is our mayoral candidate for Ugu District is currently the ANC regional Chairperson in the Lower South Coast Region. He has also served as a Regional Secretary of this region. Cde Mnyayiza also has vast governance and administrative experience as he has worked as a General Manager: Operations in Ugu District. Previously he also served as an Advisor to the Speaker of the KZN legislature. Cde Mnyayiza is also well vested in labour issues as he has a diploma in labour studies and labour economics and a Bachelor of Science degree and a certificate in municipal finance management.
uMgungundlovu District: Thobekile Mamphumulo
Cde Thobekile Maphumulo is another comrade that comes with vast experience in the local government sphere having served two terms as a Mayor of Mkhambathini. Previously she had also served as a Deputy Mayor in Mkhambathini. She has various certificates in Community Development and Capacity Building and Communications among many others. She is also currently serving as a REC an RWC member in the Moses Mabhida Region. She also has passion for working with the community in particular women and has served on many NGOs including the Midlands Women’s Group that deals with Women’s Rights as Human Rights.
Uthukela District: Siphiwe Mazibuko
Cde Siphiwe Mazibuko will be no stranger to UThukela District as he currently serves as an Exco member and Chief Whip in the council. He also serves as a Chairperson of the Water and Sanitation Committee. Cde Mazibuko who is an IT specialist with a diploma in IT and certificate in leadership management has served as Regional Secretary of the ANC’s Ukhahlamba Region and also as the ANCYL Secretary in the same region.
Amajuba District: Dr Musa Ngubane
Cde Dr Musa Ngubane is a medical doctor by profession and well known community activist. Dr Ngubane is known for his philanthropic works as he is a founder of the Magugu Medical Centre amongst many other health initiatives. Magugu Medical Centre is a centre that specialises in assisting patients living with HIV/Aids. He offers his medical services free of charge to the underprivileged at his centre. Cde Ngubane working with the Department of Health is also one of the doctors who are leading the pilot project of unrolling NHI in the Newcastle Clinic which is now in its second phase. Cde Ngubane is also an active ANC member who currently serves as a branch Treasurer and heads the finance Committee for the LET.
Harry Gwala District: Mluleki Ndobe
Cde Mluleki Ndobe needs no introduction to the community of Harry Gwala as he is currently serving as the District Mayor. He has extensive experience in Local Government as he has served as a councillor and Corporate Services Manager within this municipality prior to becoming a Mayor. Cde Ndobe has served as a Regional Chairperson of the Harry Gwala Region and has also lead the ANC youth structures. He is currently the Deputy Secretary of the ANC in the province. A teacher by profession Cde Ndobe has also been a SADTU member. He holds a Diploma in Education, a diploma in HRM a post graduate in labour law among any other management certificates.
Ethekwini Metro: Zandile Gumede
Cde Zandile Gumede is no stranger to the Ethekwini Metro and has amassed a wealth of experience in local government having served as a councillor in the Metro since 2000. She has co-chaired the Masakhane Sub-Committee and is currently an Exco Councillor and Chairperson of the Community and Emergency Services. She is also the Chairperson of Ethekwini Region and has previously served as ANC EThekwini Regional Treasurer and also served in the ANC North Durban Region. She is also a community activist serving in many Civic organisations. Cde Gumede has a Community Development programme certificate from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and Certificate in Local Government she also has a certificate in executive leadership management obtained from the University of Tshwane.
Strategic Municipalities uMsunduzi Municipality: Themba Njilo
Cde Themba Njilo is a passionate community activist who is also an ANC member in good standing. Cde Njilo runs the Themba Njilo Foundation that is involved in initiatives in developing the community and assisting the underprivileged. He runs many drug rehabilitation programmes in PMB. He is also a reputable business man who owns the Induduzo Funeral homes. Cde Njilo is well respected by many stakeholders in Umsunduzi and the community at large through his philanthropic work. He is also the Msunduzi TVET council member and Founder of UHOLOGO production that manages many recording artists. He also holds a Diploma in Marketing and Sales Management.
Newcastle Municipality: Makhosini Nkosi
Cde Makhosini Nkosi is a lawyer by profession (LLB). Cde Nkosi has worked within the Newcastle Municipality as Manager of Legal Services. He is currently serving as an MPL in the KZN legislature and has also served in the REC of the Emalahleni Region.
Ray Nkonyeni Municipality: Nomusa Mqwebu
Ray Nkonyeni Municipality will be a brand new municipality that has been formed following a merger of Hibiscus Coast Municipality and Ezinqoleni Municipality. It is thus important that the ANC wins this new municipality hence we have deployed one of our more experienced comrades in Cde Nomusa Mqwebu. Cde Mqwebu is the current Mayor of Hibiscus Coast Municipality. She has also previously served as Deputy Mayor of Ugu District. She has also served as a Ward Councillor. Cde Mqwebu is the current REC member in the Lower South Coast and current ANCWL Regional Chairperson. She is also a teacher by profession with a teacher’s diploma. She is also a former business woman.
UMhlathuze Municipality: Mdu Mhlongo
Cde Mdu Mhlongo will also be ensuring continuity as he is the current Mayor of uMhlathuze Municipality. Cde Mhlongo comes with administrative and political experience to lead local government. Upon becoming Mayor Cde Mhlongo had worked as Acting DMM in Corporate Services in uMhlathuze Municipality and as Manager in the Office of uMhlathuze Municipality Speaker. He also served as a Speaker in this same council before being appointed as Mayor. Politically Cde Mhlongo has risen in the ranks of the ANC having joined COSAS in 1994 and serving in SASCO and as Chairperson of the Youth League in the region. He then served as Chairperson of the uMhlathuze Sub-Region. Currently he serves as the ANC Musa Dladla Regional Deputy Chairperson.
Statement issued by the ANC KZN, 28 June 2016
