By Celani Sikhakhane
- EFF leaders lay charges against IFP officials and expelled EFF councillors who won’t leave their positions.
- The conflict started when councillors failed to arrange buses for EFF’s 10th-anniversary celebration.
The EFF in KwaZulu-Natal has opened a criminal case against IFP leaders they say are helping expelled EFF councillors keep their jobs.
EFF Provincial Secretary Nkululeko Ngubane and local party leaders went to the Richards Bay police station on Wednesday to lay charges.
They accused uMhlathuze Mayor Xolani Ngwezi, Speaker Tobias Gumede and acting City Manager Phakama Mhlongo of working with three expelled EFF councillors.
“Today we open a criminal case of corruption against expelled three EFF councillors and the Mayor, the Speaker and the acting City Manager,” said Ngubane.
The EFF says the IFP-led municipality is delaying the releasing of the sacked EFF councillors as it might put in jeopardy its narrow majority in the IFP-DA coalition governing the KZN North Coast municipality.
This comes after the municipality opened its case against the EFF last month for holding an illegal gathering.
Five EFF members, including provincial chairperson Mongezi Twala, were arrested for storming the municipality offices. They were released on R5,000 bail each and will appear in court on 4 March.
The EFF wants their expelled councillors to leave so the party can replace them.
The councillors were among more than 50 EFF public representatives fired in 2023. They lost their positions after failing to arrange buses for the party’s 10th-anniversary celebration at FNB stadium.
Pictured above: EFF leadership opened a criminal case against IFP Mayor and expelled EFF councillors at Richards Bay SAPS.
Image source: Supplied
