Durban — Ravi Pillay’s political career is set to be resuscitated following his apparent nomination to become Ugu District Municipality mayor.
The ANC’s Tolomane Mnyayiza region (Lower South Coast) submitted three names to the provincial executive committee for consideration. Among them was Pillay, the former KwaZulu-Natal Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs MEC.
A source who is a senior leader in the region, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that they were pushing for Pillay to be appointed as the mayor. The source said the regional leadership was unanimous on Pillay’s name, and although the province has the final say, he did not think that it would disappoint them.
The source said it was just a formality to send three names because party policy dictates that.
Pillay, if appointed, would be deployed alongside current Umzumbe Local Municipality mayor Londolo Zungu, who will be the deputy mayor.
Zungu was expected to swop with the current Ugu deputy mayor Mandla Chiya who will take Zungu’s position, according to the source.
When approached for comment, Zungu laughed and said she was not aware of her imminent deployment but she was always ready to go anywhere the party deployed her.
If appointed, Pillay will replace the late mayor Phumlile Mthiyane, who died in January.
Pillay, who is from Port Shepstone by birth, started his political career as a councillor in the then Hibiscus Local Municipality, now known as Ray Nkonyeni Local Municipality, after it was merged with Ezinqoleni Local Municipality.
Pillay went on to become a speaker before becoming a member of the legislature in 2009, where he was appointed as chief whip of the ANC.
In 2011, he was elected as Human Settlements and Public Works MEC. He also became the Finance MEC before being moved to Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, a position he held until August last year when he was removed to make way for Siboniso Duma following his election as the new provincial chairperson of the ruling party.
Pillay is a qualified attorney by profession after he completed his BA LLB at the then University of Durban Westville. He was a student activist during the 1976 uprising and was recruited into the ANC in 1981.
Attempts to get comment from Pillay were unsuccessful, but ANC provincial spokesperson Mafika Mndebele said the party deployment committee was to sit on Monday and recommend one name of the three that were sent by the region.
Ugu District Municipality spokesperson Wendy Mqadi said she could not comment on the matter.
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