Mzansi weighs in on Mxolisi Kaunda’s re-election as eThekwini mayor

The re-election of Mxolisi Kaunda as eThekwini mayor has received mixed reactions on social media.

Many had kept a close eye on Kaunda since the ANC NEC’s approval of a list of candidates ahead of the election of the city’s new mayor in eThekwini on Wednesday.

Some of his critics said Kaunda was unfit for the position, citing his “poor” leadership in eThekwini at the height of the July unrest.

However, others came to his defence, saying he needed more time considering he was only elected to the position in 2019, after the resignation of corruption-accused former mayor Zandile Gumede.

TimesLIVE reported on Wednesday Kaunda emerged with 113 votes, beating his DA opponent Nicole Graham.

Some have attributed Kaunda’s victory to the support of Philani Mavundla, a founder of the Abantu Batho Congress (ABC) which has two seats in the metro. Mavundla was fielded as a candidate for deputy mayor, a position he also won with 113 votes.

Graham, who garnered 104 votes, said smaller parties handed power back to the ANC despite the resistance of the EFF, IFP and ActionSA among others. 

“A few small parties, whose names you probably won’t even know, handed power back to the ANC in eThekwini. The IFP, EFF, DA, ACDP and ActionSA didn’t. Make no mistake, these guys have cash in their pockets and we will hold them accountable,” Graham tweeted shortly after the election.

Former EFF chairperson Dali Mpofu put the loss at the DA’s feet, saying its leaders had created an “extremely stupid and arrogant go-it-alone mentality” in the party and, as a result, had “restored kleptocracy in eThekwini for another five years”.

“But for serious political chess play by the EFF the ANC would’ve also taken all three Gauteng metros!”

Here are some social media reactions to Kaunda’s re-election: