Fresh blow for Ekurhuleni mayor as finance boss resigns

Ekurhuleni mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza may have egg on his face following the resignation of ANC bigwig Jongizizwe Dlabathi who was in charge of the city’s R51-billion budget.

Dlabathi, the mayoral committee member for finance and strategy, as well as the party’s regional secretary in Ekurhuleni, was due to table the budget in a matter of weeks. This will no longer be the case, plunging the metro into a deeper crisis.

Read more: Ekurhuleni mayor’s reshuffle triggers political chaos and coalition tensions

The resignation comes against the backdrop of Xhakaza’s ongoing fight with the EFF, which intensified last week when he reshuffled his mayoral team, attempting to include ActionSA, during which the EFF’s share of MMC positions was cut from four to just two.

The EFF alleges this was done without consultation and has since rejected the positions and pulled out of the coalition.

Dlabathi’s resignation came hours after Xhakaza appointed three mayoral committee members on Wednesday night:

• Human settlements: Nkgopotse Mekgwe;
• Community services: Siyabonga Moloi; and
• Economic infrastructure and development: Dora Mlambo (former council Speaker).

A council meeting on Thursday, 26 February, got off to a loud start as EFF councillors entered the chamber, singing and chanting Struggle songs.

The situation became chaotic after it emerged that the Speaker, Mlambo, who had called the meeting as per council rules, had also resigned with immediate effect – it would seem to take up the mayoral post.

There were suggestions that the city manager should take over and allow the meeting to continue, but councillors did not agree, saying he had not officially called the meeting.

The sitting was then adjourned before lunch. The city manager is now expected to announce a new date for the next council meeting.

‘Deeply considered resignation’

Dlabathi’s resignation letter addressed to national and provincial leaders does not go into the reasons behind his departure.

“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 interest of the African National Congress in the Region and its smooth functioning,” he said.

“I am humbled by the privileged opportunity granted to serve, to dispose of my skills and professional expertise in the course of the organisational work, transformation, service delivery, development, as well as ethical and good governance.”

Dlabathi took over the position just more than a year ago. Before that the position was held by the EFF’s Nkululeko Dunga, who was fired by Xhakaza because of “unforeseen misalignments”. Before Dunga’s axing, the red berets and ANC co-governed the metro, a relationship that broke down later and negatively affected service delivery.

Approached for comment on Thursday at the council meeting, Dlabathi kept mum. However, speaking to Daily Maverick last week, he defended Xhakaza’s decision to decrease the EFF’s representation in the mayoral team.

The EFF has “always” been overrepresented in the executive, he said.

He also confirmed that regional office bearers had consulted with the ANC’s national coalition team and its national officials before the changes were effected, suggesting that the move aligned with the party’s broader strategy.

Daily Maverick understands that several political parties are now mulling a motion of no confidence against Xhakaza. The EFF has already indicated it would vote in favour of such a move.

This would not be the first such motion he has faced. In March 2025, the Independent Citizens Movement tabled a motion against him, accusing him of failing to improve the municipality. It was withdrawn at the last minute.

The EFF’s withdrawal from the coalition has thrown the city’s political landscape into uncertainty, with the council’s 224 seats divided among the ANC (86), the DA (65), the EFF (31), ActionSA (15), Freedom Front Plus (8), the IFP (2), the ACDP (2) and smaller parties sharing the remaining 12 seats.

Dunga told News24: “We will vote against the ANC at every opportunity.”

The withdrawal of the EFF means the ANC-led coalition in Ekurhuleni no longer has a majority.

The move will also affect the Gauteng legislature, where finance MEC Lebogang Maile will need the EFF’s support to pass the provincial budget next month. DM