EXCLUSIVE: Ekurhuleni’s Xhakaza set to reshuffle mayoral committee amid ANC, EFF tension

ANC Ekurhuleni mayorNkosindiphile Xhakazais set to reshuffle his mayoral committee on Tuesday after a meeting with coalition partners in the city on Monday. Three sources close to the matter told theMail & Guardianon Monday that Xhakaza would make the changes, although it was not immediately clear what had prompted the mayor to change his executive. “The decision has been made,” a source told theM&G.

The sources said the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) would receive a position in the reshuffled mayoral committee. Tension between the ANC and the EFF escalated after the Red Berets’ Nthabiseng Tshivhenga resigned as speaker and the ANC fielded its own candidate to replace her. The EFF believed it was entitled to the position and that the ANC should have allowed another candidate from theJulius Malema-led party to take the position.

Malema vowed then that the EFF would not support the Gauteng government’s budget in the province, where theANCneeds its backing the most. Gauteng premierPanyaza Lesufiis running a minority government in the province, which relies largely on the support of the EFF and theuMkhonto weSizwe party(MK) to pass any budget. The EFF and MK also supported the ANC in defeating a motion of no confidence brought by theDemocratic Allianceagainst Lesufi last year.

[paywall]

A senior EFF source told the M&G that the party had been approached by Xhakaza on the changes but wanted its speaker position back rather than an additional MMC position. The source however did not say what Xhakaza had promised the Red Berets.

[/paywall]