Ekurhuleni mayor Mzwandile Masina 'backtracks' on threat to quit

Ekurhuleni mayor Mzwandile Masina has apparently backtracked on his threats to quit his job after being "convinced" by top ANC regional leadership on Tuesday.

The apparent U-turn comes after he was called into a meeting by ANC Ekurhuleni regional leadership following his tweets supporting EFF leader Julius Malema.

A regional executive committee member said Masina backtracked after holding a meeting with other regional office bearers.

Masina and regional secretary TK Ncinza were not available for comment on Tuesday night.

Masina - in what could be viewed as a protest against his rebuking by the ANC head office, Luthuli House - dared the party to fire him and later allegedly threatened to quit his job.

He went on a tirade on Twitter, saying he feared nothing after a party statement called him to order for supporting Malema’s views to "let the white economy collapse".

Malema’s statements were said amid a debate in the country over the reopening of the economy in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"I fear nothing, if I'm isolated for radical views," Masina tweeted. “There is no way my ANC views can be misunderstood in my organisation. I stand firm on the nationalisation of commanding heights.

"I can be removed tomorrow as mayor - I'll accept without hesitation. I'm not a coward, I'm ready."

He said if removed, he would not ask why.

"What I won't do is to be friend of WMC [white monopoly capital]. My views are more important than being gagged by whites. I'm not a coward - kill me if you can," he said.

His Twitter account was deactivated shortly afterwards.

Ekurhuleni ANC spokesperson Sonnyboy Masingi said the party was going to release a statement on Tuesday night, but had not done so by the time of writing.

Earlier on Tuesday, Masingi said the ANC Ekurhuleni regional executive committee wanted to meet with Masina to hear his explanation of the tweets.

"We are not talking [about] his resignation, we are talking [about] his statements that he issued ... The matter of resignation - if there will be any resignation or not - we will get it in the meeting," said Masingi.

"We want to listen to him."