News24 | EFF declares ANC ‘dead’ in Buffalo City as party’s own mayoral hopeful admits unity crisis

Mkhululi Dlevu, the EFF mayoral candidate in Buffalo City, believes the ANC is “dead” in the metro.

Sithandiwe Velaphi/News24

• Buffalo City’s EFF mayoral candidate, Mkhululi Dlevu, says the ANC is “dead” in the metro, predicting it will lose its majority in the local elections.
• One of the ANC’s mayoral candidates, Ncedo Kumbaca, concedes disunity is the party’s biggest challenge.
• Both candidates prioritise crimefighting and investment, with the EFF targeting the metro’s billing system and the ANC focusing on basic services.

While others regard Buffalo City as an ANC stronghold, the EFF in the area believes the metro’s biggest party is “dead” and will lose its majority after the upcoming local government elections.

“The ANC is dead in Buffalo City,” the metro’s EFF mayoral candidate, Mkhululi Dlevu, told News24.

“The only person who is still thinking of voting the ANC in this metro is the one benefiting from its leadership, for one reason or the other. We are also dismantling that thing of people saying they are voting the ANC because of (Nelson) Mandela,” Dlevu said.

In the last local government elections, the ANC marginally grew its support from 58.7% in 2016 to 59.43% in 2021. The EFF, the third-biggest party in the metro by support, also increased its electoral support by 2.09 percentage points, from 9.97% in 2016 to 12.06% in 2021.

The DA saw its electoral support drop by 3.88 percentage points, from 23.4% in 2016 to 19.52% in 2021.

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If the EFF wins the upcoming local elections, Dlevu said his focus would be on basic services, the metro’s billing system on rates and the general crime problem.

“There is nothing much being done by Buffalo City to fight criminal incidents around the metro. As mayor of Buffalo City, I will make it my priority that crime is tackled and that our law enforcement is equipped and strengthened.

“Ratepayers in Buffalo City have been complaining about the billing system that it was not a reflection of services consumed, but there is no political will from the ANC to resolve this,” Dlevu said.

He said he has more than 25 years of experience in the corporate space and governance, which he argued would be instrumental if his party were elected into power.

“I have worked in the ICT (information and communication technology) sector as a consultant for different government departments. I understand how governance systems work. I also have experience in accounting and project management.”

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But Ncedo Kumbaca, one of the ANC’s mayoral candidates in the metro, said the municipality was in need of a leadership “that is fit for purpose”.

Jobs can only be created when there is investment, Kumbaca said.

“But before we can attract investment, we need to sort ourselves by getting the basics right,” said Kumbaca.

He said a stable political leadership and an uninterrupted water and electricity supply were a great foundation for attracting investment.

“There must be no criminal activities in our environment,” Kumbaca said. “Another important aspect of attracting investment is to provide incentives for businesses that are willing to invest in the metro.”

Kumbaca, who was interviewed by his party before being announced as one of the party’s mayoral candidates, said he was nominated by 20 organisations.

Ncedo Kumbaca, an ANC mayoral candidate in Buffalo City, says attracting investment to the metro can be achieved by providing incentives for businesses.

Ncedo Kumbaca/Facebook

These included faith-based organisations, youth formations, traditional leadership institutions, and sports bodies.

“There was no way that the ANC was going to overlook those organisations,” said Kumbaca.

He was later announced as a mayoral candidate alongside the current mayor, Princess Faku, Nocawe Mafu and Simphiwe Dzengwa.

Kumbaca, a journalist by profession, said one of the challenges facing the ANC in the region was unity.

Kumbaca said:

The only thing we need to master currently is how we unite the ANC towards the big battle on 4 November. Everybody should feel comfortable to be part of this organisation. It would be a sad day if we are unable to retain power.

The disunity in the ANC was being fuelled by differences over leadership preferences during the elective conferences.

“We have an exodus of comrades who are going to court because they are unhappy with the processes of the party. It is time for leaders to rise and provide the necessary leadership so that everybody can be under one roof.”