The mayors of KZN's largest municipalities - eThekwini (Durban) and uMsunduzi (Pietermaritzburg) - have been fired.

The ANC in the province confirmed that the two mayors, Zandile Gumede and Themba Njilo, had been “redeployed” following the special provincial executive committee meeting which ended yesterday. The entire eThekwini executive council members were also removed.

ANC KZN secretary-general Mdumiseni Ntuli said the PEC arrived at the decision following a deep assessment of the provincial working committee’s report on municipalities. The assessment, among others, showed concerns around the municipalities' inability to raise revenue, poor planning on how to use municipal grants together with municipal revenue to speed up service delivery, procurement procedures were not in line with those set by the provincial treasury and wrong decisions taken without consequences among others.

Ntuli said because of this, PEC took a decision to act decisively in the eThekwini and uMsunduzi municipalities.

“In this regard, the provincial executive committee also decided that all ANC members who are serving as Exco members of eThekwini and uMsunduzi local municipalities respectively should, with immediate effect, be redeployed,” said Ntuli.

Ntuli said the vacancies will be filled within the next seven days. Gumede was suspended over two months ago following accusation of corruption in eThekwini which are before the courts.