The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal has designated a senior official to go to Umkhanyakude district municipality to convene a special council meeting where some councillors are seeking to oust mayor Siphile Mdaka and others.
The department has designated Madoda Khathide to convene the meeting this coming Friday. He is the Deputy Director-General for the Local Government branch in the department.
Due to fears of violence and disruption, as it happened in the past, the meeting will not be held at the council chambers in Mkuze. It will be held at Big 5 Hlabisa, a local municipality that is part of the district municipality.
Cogta MEC signed instruction letter
This is contained in a letter dated September 30 2025. It is signed off by the MEC for the department, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi. And it is sent to all councillors and the municipality manager.
“I, in my capacity as the MEC responsible for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, received a petition signed by the majority of councillors determined for Umkhanyakude District Municipality requesting me to designate a person to convene and chair a meeting of the Municipal Council in terms of Section 29(1A) of the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, No. 117 of 1998, as amended.
“Accordingly, I hereby designate Mr M. P. Khathide, the Deputy Director-General: Local Government Branch to call and chair the Special Council meeting in terms of the Rules and Orders of the Umkhanyakude District Municipality and/or any other relevant legislative provision. The meeting will be convened on Friday, 03 October 2025 at 11h00, in the Big 5 Hlabisa Local Municipality Council Chamber.
“Further communication will be sent by the designated official in due course. Councillors of Umkhanyakude District Municipality are called upon to cooperate with the person so designated,” Buthelezi said in the letter.
The decision was taken after a group of councillors filed a motion. The motion was to have Mdaka, the speaker, Solomon Mkhombo, and deputy mayor Thembinlosi Sibiya, removed from their positions. The group is mainly from the IFP.
In the petition, the councillors alleged that the three have failed in their duties, hence the motion. Mkhombo also failed to convene the special meeting.
Speaker rejects instruction, cites reasons
Mkhombo said the motion was defective, hence he could not convene the meeting.
“I have carefully examined the petition submitted by certain councillors seeking the removal of the mayor, deputy mayor, and myself. Regrettably, upon examination, it came to my attention that the petition does not comply with the Standing Rules of Order of our Municipal Council.
