The ANC in eThekwini responds to the move by former councillors David Ngubane and Marco Mbambo to join the Democratic Alliance (DA). According to the ANC, the councillors’ decision follows their alleged rejection during the DA’s candidate selection process, and the ANC portrays them as having been “rejected” and dismissed as “deadwood.” The ANC’s statement frames the switch in party affiliation as an outcome of internal DA selection processes rather than a policy or ideological shift. The reporting focuses on the dispute between the parties in the eThekwini area, where councillors’ membership changes are treated as politically significant. The DA’s position on the allegations, and any response from Ngubane and Mbambo, are not included in the provided source. Overall, the available information centers on the ANC’s reaction to the councillors’ defection to the DA and its claim that the move reflects their treatment in the DA’s internal candidate pipeline.