After narrowly surviving an assassination attempt on 14 July, Cllr Lindokuhle Ndlovu resigned rather than risk his life.
He tendered his letter of resignation to uMhlathuze Council Speaker Tobias Gumede on Wednesday last week.
Ndlovu, who is from eMpembeni reserve outside eSikhaleni, was shot at while driving home at around 8pm.
The now former Ward 13 councillor in the City of uMhlathuze spoke to the media about his decision.
“I decided to resign as councillor following a family meeting. My safety comes first,” he said.
“I know my resignation did not go down well with my organisation, but I am still a member of the ANC and am still prepared to work for the party.
“My resignation was not to undermine ANC supporters and the community members who voted for me. It was a difficult decision, but I thank God for saving my life and for giving me a second chance.
“A lot of people have been killed in this area and I am grateful to have survived the attack.”
He said he would search for alternative employment, but felt he needed to prioritise his safety.
Commenting on the police investigation, Ndlovu said he was pleased with the progress and believed the perpetrators would soon be arrested.
Ndlovu is the second ANC councillor in the City of uMhlathuze to resign since 2021.
His resignation leaves the ANC with 25 councillors in uMhlathuze, and the byelection to fill his void will be hotly contested between the ANC and IFP and could affect the balance of power in council.
The IFP has established a coalition with the DA, which has eight councillors, with two remaining councillors – one from ACDP and one Freedom Front Plus.
Council Speaker Tobias Gumede said he accepted the resignation, particularly in light of the fact that Ndlovu had previously faced a lifethreatening situation just before the local government elections in 2021.
Gumede has directed city manager Nkosenye Zulu to declare a vacancy with the IEC.
He explained that, during this transitional period, he would oversee Ward 13 until a new councillor is elected to ensure uninterrupted service delivery to the community.
Source: https://www.snl24.com/dailysun/news/anc-kzn-councillor-lindokuhle-ndlovu-resigns-following-assassination-attempt-20230720
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