IFP Plans to Expel Six Councillors in uPhongolo

What Happened?

In uPhongolo Local Municipality, six ward councillors from the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) voted together with the African National Congress (ANC) to elect a new council Speaker. The IFP had previously expelled its own Speaker, leaving the post vacant for a long time. On Friday, ANC councillor Celiwe Nxumalo won the Speaker position with 18 votes, beating the IFP’s candidate who got only 10 votes. The ANC needed six extra votes beyond its own ten, and those came from the IFP rebels.

Who Are the Rebels?

The six councillors who broke party lines are all ward representatives. One of them is also the IFP deputy mayor. Their support gave the ANC the majority needed to secure the Speaker seat, even though the IFP holds 16 of the 30 council seats.

Why the IFP Is Angry

The IFP leadership says voting against the party’s official stance is unacceptable. A senior party member, speaking anonymously, explained:

• Party discipline matters: if councillors cannot follow the party line, they have no place in the council.
• Allowing the opposition to gain control could lead to a total takeover of the municipality.
• The party plans to expel the six councillors immediately, even if it means facing short‑term challenges.

How the Vote Went

• Total council seats: 30
• IFP: 16 seats
• ANC: 10 seats
• EFF, NFP, DA: 1 seat each

The Speaker election results showed:

• ANC: 18 votes (its own 10 + 6 IFP rebels + votes from EFF and NFP)
• IFP: 10 votes

It is still unclear whether the DA voted, abstained, or if one IFP councillor did not vote at all.

Possible Consequences

If the IFP follows through with the expulsions:

• Six ward seats will become vacant.
• Because the next local government elections are only a few months away, the Electoral Commission of South Africa will not hold by‑elections for these seats.
• Under the Municipal Systems Act, the Speaker can temporarily fill the vacant wards by appointing proportional representation (PR) councillors until the regular elections take place.
• This could create administrative confusion and affect service delivery in the short term.

What the ANC Says

The ANC in KwaZulu‑Natal welcomed the outcome of the vote and urged all councillors to respect the democratic process. They called for calm and emphasized that the election of the Speaker reflects the will of the majority in the council.

Conclusion

The IFP’s move to expel six of its own councillors highlights the tension between party loyalty and political reality in uPhongolo. While the party aims to protect its influence, the decision could leave the municipality without elected ward representatives for several months, relying on appointed officials to keep services running. How this situation unfolds will test both the IFP’s internal discipline and the municipality’s ability to govern effectively amid upcoming elections.