The ANC mayor of Impendle, a local municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, has been ousted from his position following a motion brought by the EFF and the IFP.
Buyisani Mlaba was voted out following a special council sitting on Friday.
Mlaba was left to the wolves by five of his own comrades, who abstained from voting, leaving the EFF (2) and the IFP (2) to have the majority of votes.
Mlaba was the only ANC councillor who voted against the motion while his five comrades stayed away.
The EFF and IFP justified the motion by claiming that Mlaba does not regularly attend council meetings and has been providing false information to the media about the municipality’s condition following its failure to pay its staff two months ago.
They also claimed the mayor’s car was in accidents, but no reports were sent to the council.
The EFF and IFP further stated that Mlaba has been using the municipal petrol card to fill cars not authorised by the municipality.
“The mayor failed to execute the mayoral duties, for instance, during the delay on payment of salaries in May 2025, he didn’t show up. As a result, he is letting down the municipality.
“The mayor fails to convene portfolio meetings that he chairs; as a result, some reports at the council meetings are being deferred,” the councillors said in a joint letter of motivation.
Special council meeting
Terrence Yengwa, the acting municipal manager, confirmed to Sunday World the ousting of Mlaba from his office.
“A motion of no confidence against the mayor was tabled today at a special council meeting at Impendle municipality.
“Out of 10 councillors, four voted in favour, one voted against, and five abstained. The municipality is in consultation with relevant stakeholders on the way forward,” Yengwa said.
Meanwhile, the motion to oust Clifford Ndabandaba as the mayor of the Nongoma local municipality and Babongile Sithole as the speaker of the northern KwaZulu-Natal municipality has stalled, and it has been postponed to Monday next week.
The motion against the two was mainly filed by IFP councillors. Ndabandaba’s party, the National Freedom Party, united with Sithole’s ANC to defeat the motion.
After endless adjournments, the special sitting chaired by the acting municipal manager, Mpumelelo Mnguni, was adjourned until early next week.
