/ 25 June 2008

ANC tells Ekurhuleni mayor to stay put, for now

Ekurhuleni mayor Duma Nkosi has told the provincial African National Congress that he wants to resign but the party has said he will stay in his position for now, a ANC spokesperson said on Wednesday.

”The mayor of Ekurhuleni has made a request to the provincial executive committee of the ANC to be released of his duties. It is a request which will be considered by the provincial executive committee in due course.

”In as far as we are concerned, he remains the mayor of Ekurhuleni together with his team,” said provincial ANC spokesperson Nkenke Kekana.

Nkosi recently angered the South African Municipal Workers’ Union when he refused to accept a memorandum at a march. The union then called on Gauteng premier Mbazima Shilowa to remove Nkosi from office.

Kekana said the provincial executive committee (PEC) would probably meet in about four weeks’ time to discuss Nkosi’s request.

”Up until the PEC meets and gives Duma Nkosi a hearing, we really do not know if we will accept his request … [but] at this stage I do not think there will be an urgent meeting. I think we will meet in four weeks or so.

”Up until then, he remains the mayor of Ekurhuleni and he will be exercising his duties as mayor.”

Asked why Nkosi wanted to resign, Kekana replied: ”We should expect that from time to time, when you have the responsibility he has, there will be pressures. Those pressures need to be managed and regulated properly.

”When we meet with him we will listen to what he has to say and consider the matters he will probably raise in that meeting.”

Kekana said the ANC in Ekurhuleni were currently busy with ”service audits” to track the progress of municipal service delivery in the area.

”We are finding out exactly how far we have gone in delivering what we have promised. We are satisfied that the work is proceeding. There might be one or two problems here and there, but overall, we, as the ANC, are leading Ekurhuleni and delivering what we have promised.

”We are happy with the work that has been done by the ANC in Ekurhuleni,” said Kekana. – Sapa