SPECULATION is rife that Msunduzi municipality mayor Zanele Hlatshwayo will soon be removed from her post.

Insiders say the ANC provincial executive committee (PEC) met recently and passed a vote of no confidence in her.

The ANC-led municipality is at present in a financial crisis. A source in the ANC said it was not clear when the PEC would inform Hlatshwayo to relinquish her mayoral post.

"There are two options. Some people want her to leave now and others want her to see her term out," the source said.

Opposition parties have accused the municipality of misappropriating taxpayers' money and called for the authorities to institute an investigation.

DA leader John Steenhuisen said the party was even "more worried" after the recent auditor-general's report that shows the municipality is in a financial crisis.

"Of concern to us is the fact that our city's finances are in disarray. There is a clear lack of accountability. The turf battles within the municipality are also affecting service delivery," he said.

Steenhuisen said they had also heard that Hlatshwayo was "on her way out".

It is rumoured that uMgungundlovu district mayor Yusuf Blame might be deployed to the city and his post be occupied by former Msunduzi mayor Hloni Zondi."

ANC provincial spokesperson Sihle Zikalala dispelled the allegations that the PEC had discussed Hlatshwayo's fate.

"We have not discussed such a matter. No decision has been taken about the issues affecting the municipality," Zikalala said.

Cooperative governance and traditional affairs spokesperson Vernon Mchunu said a meeting between MEC Nomusa Dube and the municipality leadership would take place next week.