Former eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda and former deputy mayor Philani Mavundla during their stints before a fallout in 2022.
Image: Supplied
Former eThekwini deputy mayor Philani Mavundla could wear mayoral chains again in Umvoti Local Municipality, with less than 10 months to the local government elections.
The municipality in Greytown, a small town north of Pietermaritzburg, is currently under the IFP and ANC coalition; however, the ANC in the region has struck a deal with the leader of the Abantu Bantu-Batho (ABC) party, Mavundla, to form a new coalition.
The ANC regional task team coordinator, Sakhele Zulu, confirmed the new arrangement, saying a motion of no confidence to remove IFP Mayor Gabriel Malembe is being prepared.
"There are internal processes that are being discussed. We are preparing to remove the IFP and work with Mavundla's ABC again."
Mavundla said he was awaiting formal communication from the ANC, saying there is a long-standing agreement to work together, which had been sabotaged by certain individuals within the ANC.
He said the agreement, which dates back to 2021, is that the ABC, which is in Umvoti, will get mayorship, and the Speaker, which materialised in 2023 when he took over the mayorship through the same agreement.
The agreement between ANC and ABC in 2021 saw Mavundla being elected deputy mayor of eThekwini, with only two seats. In 2022, he was removed from the position through a vote of no confidence by the ANC after a bitter fallout with the then mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda.
However, later the two parties reconciled, which saw Mavundla becoming mayor in Umvoti in June 2023, with the backing of the ANC.
The agreement removed the IFP, which had been governing with the assistance of ABC in 2021. The ABC had been voting with the IFP; however, there was no sharing of power.
The people of Umvoti saw another flip-flopping when the ANC and the IFP struck a deal to remove Mavundla in 2024, bringing back Malembe to the mayoral office.