Durban — KwaZulu-Natal has provided some of the country’s most colourful political characters, and some of the most corrupt. As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. Here is a snapshot of some of the characters from KZN who stand as national or provincial candidates in the May elections.

Bathabile Dlamini

Bathabile Olive Dlamini is the scandal-ridden former Minister of Social Development. Many Sassa grant recipients will remember her for the Cash Paymaster Services scandal which put millions of vulnerable citizens at risk of not receiving payments.

In 2022 the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court found her guilty of perjury after she lied under oath before an inquiry established by the Constitutional Court about her role in the social grants crisis.

She previously pleaded guilty to fraud charges in the Travelgate scandal which centred on the abuse of parliamentary travel vouchers.

A social worker by training, Dlamini’s quest to return to the position of ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) president was crushed when she failed to get sufficient votes last year. Dlamini is 14th on the ANC’s national regional candidates list which features political parties and independent candidates contesting for seats in the National Assembly for a region.

Thulasizwe Buthelezi

Thulasizwe Dominic Buthelezi has been hard at work shaking off allegations that he is a sex pest. Several women have allegedly accused the IFP member and mayor of the party’s Zululand District Municipality of soliciting sexual favours, mainly from married women. He has also been accused of threatening to crush their careers if they do not oblige.

Buthelezi also serves as the traditional prime minister of the Zulu nation after he was appointed by Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini.

Buthelezi was previously also accused of making comments that could incite political killings in Nongoma in northern KwaZulu-Natal after the emergence of a video clip.

Magasela Mzobe

Magasela Mzobe is a soccer boss and former ANC Youth League leader. With parties vying for the youth vote in the coming election, his resignation from the ANC in 2023 to join the EFF was seen as a significant blow. As a reason for crossing the floor, Mzobe cited that he could no longer defend the ANC’s policies or its decisions.

Mzobe is the owner of the Newcastle All Stars Football Club. He is one of those who came to former president Jacob Zuma’s defence during the public outcry when a “fire pool” was constructed at his Nkandla homestead, funded from public coffers. At the time, Mzobe allegedly said: “Zuma didn’t ask for a swimming pool, he is busy running the country.”

Mzobe has been publicising his crossover to the EFF by posting pictures of himself and the party’s top brass on social media.

Roy Bhoola

Royith Baloo Bhoola is second on the national list of the Allied Movement for Change (AM4C) party. On his social media profile, he describes himself as the co-founder and executive chairperson of the AM4C. Bhoola was previously a member of the Minority Front (MF) and served as an MP for the party in Cape Town for a decade.

Bhoola and the head of the MF, Shameen Thakur-Rajbansi, were engaged in a major leadership tussle following the death of MF leader Amichand Rajbansi in 2011. It was previously alleged that Bhoola had cut a deal with a close friend in which he would “sell” his political seat in the National Assembly for R200 000. It was alleged that Bhoola received a down payment of R20 000 but it was seemingly not proven.

Sihle Zikalala

Sihle Zikalala was called a “water thief” when he was premier of KZN in 2022. After severe flooding in Durban, many areas were without water for several weeks and a water tanker meant to supply the community was seen parked at his home in La Mercy.

During Covid-19 he also came under fire when it emerged that the Department of Social Development recorded irregular expenditure of nearly R30 million for personal protective equipment (PPE) and blankets.

A stalwart of the ANC since his teens, Zikalala started his political career in Ndwedwe and worked his way up the party ranks.

Sunday Tribune

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Gallery of political oddballs