eThekwini has a new mayor

Mxolisi Kaunda was elected during a council sitting at the Durban City Hall on Thursday.

The former KwaZulu-Natal transport MEC replaces the embattled Zandile Gumede.

The new executive committee also includes deputy mayor Belinda Scott and Weziwe Thusi as council speaker.

The African National Congress (ANC) in the province has welcomed the decision.

"We want to say that the meeting went very well, according to how the ANC wanted to see it moving, and we are clear in terms of the mandate given to comrades what is expected from the ANC from now," says spokesperson Ricardo Mthembu.

"The citizens of eThekwini are expecting that the service delivery will be implemented as soon as possible."

Meanwhile, Gumede also welcomed the new leadership saying she is fully behind the candidates set to take over as eThekwini's new leaders.

Mthembu says Gumede maintains a good working relationship with the party.

"We firstly want to appreciate the thank the ex-mayor and the exco for their cooperation. She has been part of some decisions taken by the ANC, some good decisions."

Last week's council meeting was postponed after Gumede withdrew her resignation in a move the national ANC called “unprecedented”.