KNIVES OUT
Tough week for Trollip as enemies unite
POLITICAL parties go into overdrive this week as they canvas for support in their drive to push Nelson Mandela Bay DA mayor Athol Trollip out of his seat – or keep him there.
Trollip’s moment will come on Thursday when the Economic Freedom Fighters’ motion of no confidence against him is tabled before council.
This week EFF commander-inchief Julius Malema will descend on Nelson Mandela Bay to conduct mini-rallies around the Bay to mobilise people against the DA-led coalition.
Provincial EFF convener Yazini Tetyana said negotiations on the ground were solid and they were confident their motion would pass. He said the motion was to be seen as a warning to all parties that the power they hold was never a given, but always at the pleasure of the electorate.
“We have been hearing the dissatisfaction of the people of Nelson Mandela and it has never been that we were unable to attend to those problems but the timing was not correct.
“We want a metro that will service all its people equally and a metro that will see its residents through the same eye,” said Tetyana.
On Wednesday, Malema will address the community at Nangoza Jebe Hall in New Brighton in Port Elizabeth.
Tetyana said Malema would speak to the people about the motion and what led the EFF to bringing it before council.
On the same day, the EFF is expected to march to the council chambers to demand that Trollip, who is also the federal chairman of the DA, be removed from the mayoral seat. In reply, the DA have launched a
#hands off Trollip campaign that will see party leader Mmusi Maimane addressing residents in the metro.
Last Friday, Trollip was seen around the Bay giving away free bus tickets for the Integrated Public Transport System (IPTS) and encouraging residents to use the city buses.
The United Democratic Movement (UDM ) – which was part of a governing coalition until their member Mongameli Bobani, the metro’s deputy mayor, and Trollip fell out – has also canvassed against Trollip.
Bobani said they were out in the townships mobilising people to join the UDM and to support the motion.
“We are getting ready for 2019 as the UDM but a pressing issue right now for the UDM in Nelson Mandela Bay is to remove the sitting mayor,” said Bobani.