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DA mayoral candidate in Ekurhuleni withdraws from race

Swearing in of new councillors during the inaugral council meeting of the City of Ekurhuleni .
Swearing in of new councillors during the inaugral council meeting of the City of Ekurhuleni .
Image: Antonio Muchave

The DA’s mayoral candidate in Ekurhuleni Refiloe Nt’sekhe has withdrawn as a councillor candidate in the metro.

This was revealed by the DA during the inaugural council meeting held in Germiston on Monday. The party, however, did not provide reasons for Nt’sekhe’s withdrawal.

Nt’sekhe was the only councillor candidate that was absent during the marking of the attendance register.

Despite the party informing municipal manager Imogen Mashazi of the withdrawal, she insisted that official communication be sent to her office as Nt’sekhe’s name had been published by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).

“The party must write a letter to the municipal manager informing the council of the withdrawal. The councillor candidate herself must also write a letter of resignation informing the council of her resignation. Her name has already been included in the IEC list,” said Mashazi.

The council sitting on Monday is expected to elect the speaker, chief whip of council and mayor for the country’s manufacturing hub.

Ekurhuleni is one of the hung councils in Gauteng.

The ANC received 38.19% votes, followed by the DA with 28.72% and the EFF with 13.47%. This means a coalition government will have to be formed.

Over the weekend, the ANC announced Mzwandile Masina as its candidate to become mayor in Ekurhuleni.

Swearing-in of councillors has just started. There are 224 seats in this council made up of 112 ward councillors and 112 proportional representation (PR) councillors.

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