The Umvoti Municipality’s full council meeting descended into violent chaos on Thursday when councillors clashed, tempers flared—and guns were drawn. Speaking from inside the Greytown Police Station shortly after the incident, ABC councillor Lindokuhle Zondi described the meeting as “a brazen attempt to silence us” after he and fellow councillor Mfundo Masondo arrived to find themselves abruptly stripped of their positions. According to Zondi, the speaker Ntombi Ngubane issued letters on Wednesday claiming the pair were no longer councillors—a move he insists was unlawful and shocking, given the existing court orders preventing their suspension by a rival ABC faction.
At the station, Masondo was already opening an assault case against councillors he alleges attacked when the meeting was adjourned. “Until the matter is finalised in court, we are still members of council,” Zondi said. “That’s why we attended the meeting.
There’s been no notification from the IEC or Cogta declaring our seats vacant.” Zondi said tensions snapped when he and Masondo attempted to speak on agenda items but were repeatedly ignored by the speaker. “The speaker said we had no right to be inside the meeting at all,” he said. “She ignored standing rules, refused to acknowledge us, and then abruptly adjourned to call SAPS to remove us.” According to Zondi, three IFP councillors allegedly confronted Masondo, grabbing and manhandling him, while scuffles broke out across the chamber.
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