Umzinyathi District Municipality Mayor Petros Ngubane has been reinstated as a councillor at Umvoti Local Municipality after being dismissed by a coalition of the African National Congress and Abantu Batho Congress (ABC).

Ngubane, a veteran IFP politician, was removed from the Umvoti council after being accused by coalition leaders of missing and walking out on council meetings.

A councillor can sit in two councils – at a local and district municipality – as part of the proportional representation system. Ngubane's removal from the Greytown-based Umvoti council placed his mayoral position in Umzinyathi in peril. 

His removal came at the same time as eight other councillors were removed by the coalition for their alleged absence from consecutive council meetings. 

Seven of the councillors were Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) leaders and one belonged to the ABC.

The IFP contended that the move was a ploy to force by-elections.

While Ngubane told News24 that the court order, dated 10 November, means the eight other councillors could also return, a court document circulating on social media refers to a single applicant.

The court order reads, "The decision taken by the first respondent on 18 September to remove the applicant as a councillor of the Umvoti Local Municipality is withdrawn and set aside. The rule nisi issued on 2 October is discharged. The first respondent is to [cover] the costs of this application."

Umvoti council Speaker Mfundo Masondo noted that the document referred to only one applicant. 

"[If that's the case] then I am going to bar them [the eight other councillors] from attending if they lack an order, unless I can conclusively be given an order," Masondo told News24.

Ngubane confirmed the authenticity of the document and welcomed it, saying he had been vindicated by the court order which proved that Umvoti Mayor Philani Mavundla, whom the former accuses of initiating his removal, "was thinking with his heart and not his brain".

Ngubane said, "[Mavundla] is not an astute politician. In politics, you have to think. That's why politics is meant for some people and not others, just like business."

Mavundla declined News24's call. 

Ngubane said Mavundla had "coerced" the provincial Department of Cooperative and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) to remove IFP councillors.

Cogta MEC Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi's office was approached to comment on whether she would appeal the decision. Its comment will be added once received.