By Celani Sikhakhane
- Mathe and the entire executive council of Jozini Municipality were removed by the IFP national executive committee.
- He was accused of bullying staff, wasting money, and treating the mayor’s office like a royal throne, but he remained popular for his lively personality.
The Inkatha Freedom Party has fired Jozini Mayor Mfananaye Mathe, the self-proclaimed “King of the KwaZulu-Natal Mayors”, as it reshuffles leadership in its municipalities.
Mathe, known as “inunu” or “Inkosi yeziMeya”, was axed over the weekend by the IFP’s top leadership, led by party president Velenkosini Hlabisa.
IFP spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa said in a statement: “After extensive discussions and careful consideration of all material facts, the IFP has decided to reconfigure the executive council of Jozini Municipality. The IFP extends its appreciation to the outgoing leadership of Jozini.”
The party said the shake-up was part of an ongoing review of its municipalities across KwaZulu-Natal.
Mathe rose to power in 2021 following a chaotic council election in Jozini. The vote only went ahead after high-level interventions from IFP senior leader Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa and ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe.
At the time, councillors from the ANC, IFP and Economic Freedom Fighters reportedly ignored instructions from their national leadership and teamed up to elect an ANC mayor, an IFP speaker and an EFF deputy mayor.
Mathe ultimately landed the mayoral post, even though many councillors opposed his appointment.
Soon after taking office, Mathe was accused of bullying senior municipal managers and allegedly forcing them to appoint a private security firm linked to his friends to protect him.
He also came under fire after the municipality mistakenly paid more than R1.4-million into the wrong personal account. A municipal official flagged the problem after noticing the account number didn’t match the IT service provider who was meant to be paid.
Some officials accused Mathe of acting like he ruled Jozini rather than serving it, but his charm and big personality earned him supporters across party lines.
In one memorable moment, Mathe joked with Democratic Alliance mayor Chris Pappas, saying it would take time for Pappas to reach his level of “fame and service delivery”.
Pictured above: Mfananaye Mathe during his time as Jozini Mayor.
Image source: Jozini Local Municipality
