Former IFP mayor dumps party for Jozini Congress

By Celani Sikhakhane

• Former Jozini mayor Mfananaye Mathe has joined Jozini Congress and will stand as its candidate for mayor of uMkhanyakude District Municipality.

• Mathe accused the IFP, ANC and EFF of failing to deliver water and promised to bring his energetic political style back to uMkhanyakude.

Former Jozini mayor Mfananaye Mathe has dumped the IFP and taken a swipe at the party he once proudly represented.

The colourful politician says he is back as a “striker number nine” to shake up politics in northern KwaZulu-Natal.

Mathe, a former IFP chairperson in uMkhanyakude district, joined the Jozini Congress at a media briefing in Jozini on Monday.

The community based party was formed last year and plans to contest the local government elections across uMkhanyakude District Municipality.

The district includes uMtubatuba, Jozini, Big Five Hlabisa and uMhlabuyalingana local municipalities.

Jozini Congress President Sbusiso Mathenjwa announced Mathe as the party’s candidate for mayor of uMkhanyakude District Municipality.

Mathe wasted no time attacking his former political home.

He accused the IFP of failing communities, particularly when it comes to providing water.

“The IFP have failed dismally to deliver water with the ANC and the EFF since they govern together the uMkhanyakude district,” Mathe said.

He said losing his position as Jozini mayor did not stop him from working in his ward.

“After I was recalled from my position as the Mayor of Jozini local municipality, I continued to work for the community of my ward.”

Mathe said providing water would be one of his priorities in his new political home.

“This is what I am going to continue to do here under the Jozini Congress to bring water to the people of uMkhanyakude.”

Never short of confidence, Mathe also claimed local politics lost some of its excitement after he was removed.

“Another thing after I was removed, the politics of uMkhanyakude suffered a lot and it was boring with a lot of vacuum without me.”

He compared his political comeback to a football striker returning to the field.

“But now I am back as a striker number nine to bring back that vibrant politics in our district and services to the people,” he said.

Mathe also had a warning for his new political home.

He said if Jozini Congress recruited him to become an armchair politician, it might as well hand him a resignation form.

Mathe insists he belongs on the ground with communities rather than sitting in an office.

His latest political move follows years of drama inside the IFP.

Mathe became Jozini mayor in 2021 after a dramatic council meeting that threatened political agreements between the IFP and ANC following the 2019 general elections.

At the time, the EFF and some IFP councillors had secretly agreed to sideline the ANC and go against a directive from the IFP leadership by supporting a different candidate instead of Mathe.

An intervention by IFP deployee Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa helped secure Mathe’s election.

His colourful leadership style later made him well known beyond Jozini and earned him the nickname Inkosi yeziMeya, meaning king of the mayors.

But controversy followed.

In 2023, Mathe faced corruption claims involving a R3-million budget for Grade 12 winter classes.

The ANC claimed the groceries supplied for the programme could not have cost even R500,000 and called for a thorough investigation into how the money was spent.

Mathe denied wrongdoing.

He said R2.5-million that had not been spent was later moved to another community programme.

His removal also came amid bitter divisions inside the IFP.

Mathe was accused of being involved in a group that wanted IFP President Velenkosini Hlabisa removed and replaced by KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli.

Mathe was among mayors who signed a petition calling for Hlabisa’s removal.

The letter angered late IFP founder Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, who told Hlabisa to resign.

Other mayors said to have been involved included uMhlathuze Mayor Xolani Ngwezi, uThukela Mayor Inkosi Ntandoyenkosi Shabalala, Nquthu Mayor Lindokuhle Shabalala and Inkosi Langalibalele Mayor Sobholenyoni Myeza.

Mathe’s colourful personality has also followed him beyond serious political battles.

He proudly acknowledges the nickname “Majazana”, which his friend and ANC politician Bheki Mtolo gave him while mocking him for wearing oversized suits.

The teasing prompted a fashion makeover.

Mathe switched to tailored, tighter fitting suits and later joked about his new look at public events while laughing back at Mtolo.

Now Mathe has changed more than his suits.

He has changed political colours and is preparing to fight his former party at the polls.

And if his first appearance for Jozini Congress is anything to go by, the self proclaimed “striker number nine” plans to make plenty of noise on his return to the political field.

Pictured above: Former IFP Jozini mayor Mfananaye Mathe, who has dumped the party to join Jozini Congress.

Image source: Facebook