The ANC’s Matozi Khuzwayo-Dlamini has made a stunning comeback as mayor of Maphumulo Municipality thanks to an ANC-EFF coalition.

Khuzwayo-Dlamini was elected mayor during a chaotic council meeting that was boycotted by IFP councillors on Thursday.

She succeeds the IFP’s Siboniso Nyatikazi, who became mayor after the ANC failed to get an outright victory in Maphumulo in the 2021 local government elections.

At the time, the EFF backed the IFP, its former coalition partner and now bitter rival, to take over the municipality.

But the IFP-EFF coalition came crashing down late last month after EFF leader Julius Malema instructed all eight EFF deputy mayors in KwaZulu-Natal to resign where the party co-governed with the IFP.

Addressing ANC and EFF supporters after claiming back the mayoral chains, Khuzwayo-Dlamini said she would prioritise service delivery.

“We will continue where we left off as the ANC before the 2021 local government elections. We will ensure that services are provided to all of you. We are glad that we have finally removed the self-serving organisation called the IFP,” she said to thunderous applause outside the municipality.

The EFF’s Snenhlanhla Chili takes up the position of Speaker, while Nzo Nkosi from the ANC will be the new whip.

Chili served as deputy mayor during the IFP-EFF tenure.

Buoyed by successfully dislodging the IFP in Nongoma, the ANC-EFF coalition turned its attention to Maphumulo municipality and grabbed it too. The ANC-led coalition was confident of victory heading to the council meeting in Maphumulo as the odds were highly in their favour.

Of the 23 council seats, the ANC-EFF has 12 seats combined, compared to the IFP’s 11, with only a seat separating the two sides.

The ANC-EFF coalition is now eyeing the local hung municipalities of uMthathuze, Mtubatuba, Inkosi Langalibalele (Estcourt) and Alfred Duma (Ladysmith).

As in Nongoma, the IFP in Maphumulo rejected Thursday’s council, saying it was illegal, and that it did not recognise the results.

The ANC in KZN welcomed the victory.

“The crushing defeat has not only disrupted the burgeoning IFP-DA relationship. It is destroying this coalition which represents nothing else but the beginning of ethnic divisions. This was enforced under the apartheid regime especially here in KZN,” said the party in a statement.

Pictured above: The ANC’s Matozi Khuzwayo-Dlamini who was elected as mayor of Maphumulo Local Municipality on Thursday

Picture source: Supplied