Mtubatuba shifts from political violence to coalition stability, says municipal manager

Mtubatuba Local Municipality has moved from a history of political violence and repeated administration to a functioning coalition, but significant service and revenue challenges remain, according to reporting by The Citizen.

From administration and violence to a working coalition

According to The Citizen, Mtubatuba “has been in and out of administration by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) since 2011.” The municipality also “has a long history of political violence, misgovernance, and financial mismanagement,” the report says.

In an interview cited by The Citizen, municipal manager Xulu said recent years have brought greater political maturity and cooperation among local leaders.

“Previously it was difficult for a mayor to complete a year in Mtubatuba, but now the current mayor, Cllr Mthethwa, is finishing his fourth year… I am also now completing my fourth year.”

Claims of reduced political violence

Xulu told The Citizen that the municipality has seen a decline in political intolerance. He was quoted saying,

“From 2022 to date, we do not have any issues of political violence in Mtubatuba.”

The Citizen also records Xulu’s assertion that electoral contests have not sparked conflict under his tenure:

“Since I became MM, we have had two by-elections and at no stage were there fights among our leaders when there were by-elections.”

Coalition composition and governing roles

According to The Citizen, Mtubatuba “is governed by the IFP, ACDP and DA. However, the IFP occupies the crucial positions of mayor and speaker of council.” The municipal manager said coalition partners have nevertheless “found a way to work together harmoniously.”

Financial and service-delivery challenges

The Citizen reports the municipality faces serious revenue constraints. Xulu told the newspaper that the municipality only collects rates from three wards out of 23 and that it depends heavily on government funding:

“Almost 90% of our budget comes from government, both provincial and national.”

On service delivery and local economic development, Xulu said unemployment and a small local tax base constrain the municipality and that officials are working to attract investment. He detailed plans cited by The Citizen, including the construction of a shopping centre and a so-called “Truck shop.”

Health services and land for a hospital

The Citizen records Xulu’s comments on health infrastructure:

“We are a big municipality in the district, but we do not have a hospital in Mtubatuba; we only have clinics.”

He told The Citizen the absence of land had been a barrier to building a hospital and that the council “had to now buy the land… now we have managed now to source the land.”

What this means

Reporting in The Citizen portrays Mtubatuba as a municipality that has made political progress while still confronting entrenched fiscal and service-delivery problems. The municipal manager credited cooperative leadership for recent stability while identifying rate collection, unemployment and the need for a hospital as outstanding priorities.