Dlabathi resigns as ANC Ekurhuleni secretary, MMC amid municipal turmoil

Jongizizwe Dlabathi has resigned from his roles as ANC Ekurhuleni regional secretary and as a member of the mayoral committee in the City of Ekurhuleni.

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Jongizizwe Dlabathi has resigned as the ANC Ekurhuleni regional secretary and a member of the mayoral committee,effective Friday.Dlabathi said in a letter that his resignation was in the best interests of the ANC’s smooth functioning in Ekurhuleni.This follows instability in the municipality after Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza reshuffled the mayoral committee,leading to EFF’s withdrawal from the coalition.Jongizizwe Dlabathi has resigned from his roles as ANC Ekurhuleni regional secretary and as a member of the mayoral committee in the City of Ekurhuleni.

Dlabathi said in a letter that he had “deeply considered” resigning from the ANC in the region,and added that the move was in the best interests of the ANC in Ekurhuleni and its smooth running.

News24 has seen the letter,which was addressed to the ANC Ekurhuleni regional office bearers and the regional executive committee. Gauteng provincial officials were copied in.

“This letter serves to communicate my unfortunate but deeply considered resignation as both the ANC Regional Secretary of Ekurhuleni and the Member of the Mayoral Committee. This deeply considered resignation is in the best interests of the African National Congress in the region and its smooth functioning,” it read.

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The resignation is effective from Friday.

READ | Jongizizwe Dlabathi: From bank teller to MMC overseeing R60bn in Ekurhuleni

He added that he was “humbled by the privileged opportunity granted to serve,to deploy his skills and professional expertise in the course of the organisational work,transformation,service delivery,development,as well as ethical and good governance.”

News24 could not reach Dlabathi on Thursday.

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It is understood that he was attending an ongoing City of Ekurhuleni council meeting.

Dlabathi’s resignation comes amid serious instability in the municipality,following Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza’s reshuffling of the mayoral committee.

The changes saw some EFF members ousted and others demoted.

The party has since withdrawn from the coalition and threatened to withhold support in all municipalities and the legislature.

Xhakaza also appointed ANC councillors to fill three vacancies in his mayoral committee.

It’s unclear how the ANC in Ekurhuleni plans to pass its adjustments budget to be tabled at the ongoing council meeting.