Clock ticking for City of Ekurhuleni to reinstate fired EFF’s Nkululeko Dunga

EFF leader Julius Malema has given the ANC an ultimatum to either reinstate Nkululeko Dunga in the position of City of Ekurhuleni Finance MMC by 1pm today or they will withdraw all local government coalitions with the party across the country.

This would lead to a collapse at a number of metros and municipalities resulting in no or little service delivery to residents.

Speaking during a media briefing in Cape Town on Thursday, Malema said: “EFF will pull all its MMCs from city of Johannesburg, city of Ekurhuleni, Mogale City, PE and any other municipalities where the EFF is in coalition with the ANC”.

Xhakaza on Wednesday announced the decision to fire Dunga.

“After careful consideration and in light of unforeseen misalignments, I have decided to remove Dunga from his position as MMC for Finance. This decision is aimed at ensuring that we can effectively fast-track the completion and approval of the annual budget, a critical task for the continued development and growth of our city.

“Furthermore, is a critical need to urgently turnaround the concerning financial position of the city,” said Xhakaza.

He further said they appreciate Dunga’s contribution and wish him well in his future endeavours.

“In the interim, I have assigned MMC for City Planning and Economic Development Ald. Nomadlozi Nkosi to oversee the Finance portfolio. She is currently the Chairperson of both the Governance and Economic Mayoral Cluster and the Budget Steering Committee.

“I will in due course, after the necessary consultations, appoint a replacement in the role of MMC for Finance,” said Xhakaza.

Dunga speaking to Saturday Star confirmed that if deployed he would return.

“Ofcourse, I would go back, it is a deployment,” said Dunga.

City of Ekurhuleni mayoral spokesperson Phakamile Mbangashe said the Office of the Executive Mayor has not received any formal communication from the leader of EFF and as such, he is not aware of any such threat.

“The Mayor has no plans to reinstate the Former MMC back into the Mayoral Committee. Dunga was removed from the position following the review of the governance update report which pointed to fundamental-weaknesses on how the budget process has been handled as well as the seriously regressing financial position of the City, a matter we have long raised with no notable effort to turnaround the dire situation,” said Mbangashe.

He said that four EFF councillors are currently serving in the Mayoral Committee:

• MMC for Water and Sanitation - Thembi Msane

• MMC for Environmental Resources and Waste Management - Leshaka Manamela

• MMC for Human Settlement - Kgopelo Hollo

• MMC for Community Services – Bridget Thusi

Meanwhile, Dunga is set to be sworn in as a member of Gauteng Provincial Government (GPL) on Friday, this is after he was on top of the EFF list of members going to government.