Durban - Deputy mayor of the eThekwini Municipality Philani Mavundla believes he is the best candidate to represent the people of Kloof and surrounding areas as a ward councillor.
Mavundla, who is the chairperson of the infrastructure and services committee, raised eyebrows after it was announced that he will contest the by-election in ward 10 today. The ward includes Kloof, Gillitts, Stockville and Forest Hills.
The ward was under DA control and a vacancy was declared following the death of the councillor, Tex Collins.
Yesterday Mavundla revealed that while he backed his chances of winning the ward, it was well-known that the DA had strong support in the area.
The DA yesterday dismissed Mavundla’s chances, describing his efforts as a waste of his time.
Speaking to The Mercury, Mavundla said he has two properties in ward 10 and believed he should “throw his hat in the ring” and get the mandate to represent the people directly from them.
“The people of ward 10 are not getting any service for the rates that they are paying. The only person who is getting the benefits of the rates being paid is the ward councillor because they are getting a salary.”
Mavundla said people were not benefiting from services in the area, including cleaning and maintenance of infrastructure.
“The money they pay in the form of rates goes to pay for unfunded mandates like paying for the hostel, the electricity use there is paid for by the residents of ward 10,” he said.
Mavundla said while it was common for mayors and deputy mayors to be PR councillors, when he held the position of mayor in Greytown, he was elected by the residents and if he were to win in ward 10 and become a ward councillor, it would not affect the position he currently holds.
Mavundla conceded that winning that ward was a long shot.
“I would want to win that ward, but if I were to beat the ANC in that ward (which came a far distant second in the last elections), I would consider that a win.”
The tensions between Mavundla, who came to be deputy mayor after smaller parties formed a coalition with the ANC to run eThekwini, and mayor Mxolisi Kaunda have been in the spotlight recently after a text message allegedly from the mayor to Mavundla surfaced. In the message, Kaunda chastised Mavundla over a city event.
DA provincial leader Francois Rodgers said they expected the election to go one way – that is to the DA.
He said in the last election they had secured more than 90% of the vote.
Speaking on Mavundla contesting, he said Mavundla was wasting his time and money and should rather focus on sorting out the problems in eThekwini regarding infrastructure and human settlements.