EFF vote key in Mandela Bay coalition

THE fragile coalition which governs Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) council in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape is hanging by the thinnest of threads – this ahead of a motion of no confidence against DA mayor Athol Trollip, with the EFF set to hold the decisive votes.

Heated scenes are expected to play out at an NMB council meeting today, after the Patriotic Alliance’s Marlon Daniels and former deputy mayor, the United Democratic Movement’s Mongameli Bobani, filed motions to have Trollip and council speaker Jonathan Lawack removed.

The DA governs in Nelson Mandela Bay after securing 46.7% of the vote and 57 seats in the 120-seat council following the local government elections in 2016.

The ANC saw its control slip away as it polled just 40.9% of votes, sliding from 62 council seats in 2011 to just 50 last year,

But the DA could only take control of the metro with the help of a coalition of smaller parties, with the PA, the United Front of the Eastern Cape (Ufec), and the African Independent Conference, who all occupy one seat in council, holding a press conference yesterday, and being joined by Bobani, who was late for the briefing. The UDM hold two seats at council.

Cope and ACDP also each have one vote but are set to support the DA in trying to ward off the motion.

The ANC, who have 50 seats, held a separate press conference yesterday and said the party would support any move to have Trollip ousted.

The EFF have six seats in council, and while the minority parties say they have done their lobbying, the decision on whether the EFF will support, abstain or vote against the motion of no confidence ultimately rests with EFF national leader Julius Malema. His decision has not been established. – ANA