He was formerly the Mayor of eThekwini from 2011 to 2016, and during that time he was engaged in a strident political rivalry with Zandile Gumede, who became his successor.
[1][3] By early 2011, Nxumalo was Provincial Chairperson of the KwaZulu-Natal branch of the SACP, an office he held in parallel to his position as eThekwini Speaker, and, ahead of the 2011 local elections, he was considered the frontrunner to succeed longstanding incumbent Obed Mlaba as Mayor of eThekwini.
[5] The leadership elections were postponed twice – amid violence, intimidation, and allegations of vote-buying – before they were finally held in Durban on 14–15 February 2015.
[7][8] In response Nxumalo wrote an open letter alleging that Gumede's supporters had themselves engaged in unfair practices ahead of the election, including by attempting to bribe voters.
[7] The leadership election was not re-run for several months, as further violent clashes between Gumede and Nxumalo's supporters led to further postponements.
[12] Nxumalo claimed that his name had been included on the ballot paper, his boycott notwithstanding, as part of an intentional attempt to humiliate him.
[11] In early June, Nxumalo gave an emotional and reflective budget speech that was misinterpreted by some as a resignation announcement, prompting the council to clarify that he would complete his five-year mayoral term.