The eThekwini Municipality’s council meeting ended in chaos as the ANC and DA clashed over the appointment of non-executive directors to the Durban International Convention Centre and Durban Marine Theme Park. The ANC in eThekwini accused the DA of being a racist party after the appointment of non-executive directors drew sharp criticism and allegations of jobs for pals.
The meeting ended with a scuffle when a DA member approached the ANC benches. The heated argument between both parties had been boiling over after several remarks were made during the meeting, including a councillor calling another “stupid”.
Appointment of Non-Executive Directors
The final argument broke out while councillors were approving the appointment of Thinta Cibane, Dr Pritish Dala, Lwazoluhle Kleinbooi, and Thulisa Ndlela to serve as non-executive directors of Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre (ICC), trading as Durban International Convention Centre, for three years, from June 1, 2026, to May 31, 2029.
Before this item was discussed, the DA questioned the appointment of Diane Hoorzuk, Nompumelelo Mabaso, Suren Maharaj, Dr William Mapena, Prince Mthembu, Mbali Myeni, Sihle Ndlovu, and Dr Brandon Pillay to serve as non-executive directors of the Durban Marine Theme Park (DMTP) for three years. The eThekwini Municipality stated that all the board appointees bring a wealth of diverse skills, knowledge, and experience across various sectors, positioning them to provide effective strategic leadership and guidance in steering the entity toward achieving its objectives.
DA Concerns Over Appointments
Responding to the DMTP appointments, Heinz de Boer, DA eThekwini Ward 36 councillor, said the list was strange because it included former ANC councillors who had previously served on several boards “where things did not work out so well”. De Boer called on the municipality to re-examine how it appoints board members without involving politics.
“One thing that has sunk South Africa and sunk municipalities is the ongoing cronyism and the jobs-for-pals programme that the ANC continues to push. You keep putting the same people again and again in positions of authority. What is the reasoning behind this?” he asked. “This is a blatant case of political appointments. We need to look at people who can do the job first. It is about appointing the right people to the right positions to drag failing entities like the Durban Marine Theme Park out of the trouble and deep waters that they are already in. This is political interference,” De Boer said.
According to the South African Government website, the appointment of board members is a critical aspect of good governance in municipalities. The website states that board members should be appointed based on their skills, knowledge, and experience, and not on political affiliations.
In responding to De Boer, Nkosenhle Madlala, ANC whip of the Executive Committee (Exco) and chairperson of the Governance and Human Resources Committee, said: “The only motivating factor for Councillor De Boer to say all the things that he said is racism.”
The ANC and DA have been at loggerheads over various issues in the past, and this latest clash is likely to further strain their relationship. As the politics of South Africa continue to evolve, it remains to be seen how this situation will unfold.
- The eThekwini Municipality has appointed new non-executive directors to the Durban International Convention Centre and Durban Marine Theme Park.
- The ANC and DA have clashed over the appointments, with the DA accusing the ANC of cronyism and the ANC accusing the DA of racism.
- The situation has sparked a heated debate about the role of politics in the appointment of board members in municipalities.
