Trollip survives again as PA withdraws at 11th hour

Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Athol Trollip survived yet another attempt to remove him on Thursday when rival party councillors walked out.

Less than 30 minutes into the council meeting the opposition complained agendas had been delivered later than the prescribed five working days.

They said this meant the meeting was illegal and when their motions succeeded Trollip would challenge them in court.

United Front councillor Mkhuseli Mtsila said his agenda was delivered last Wednesday and Thursday was a holiday.

“An agenda of council is supposed to be delivered in five working days. The delivery does not meet council rule 12.3.”

Speaker Jonathan Lawack said the printer had broken down. “During the tenure of the ANC agendas were often late but today it’s an excuse for meetings not to go ahead, deceiving the people of the metro.”

The opposition had planned to remove Trollip, Lawack and chief whip Werner Senekal with no-confidence motions.

The Patriotic Alliance, which first said it would support the removal, backed out at the last minute on Wednesday due to an impasse with the EFF.

The PA’s Marlon Daniels apologised at a press briefing.

“Had the PA given support to the opposition we would have mayhem right now.

“We were insulted and we won’t give our support to the opposition today, tomorrow or ever again,” Daniels said.

Had PA supported opposition we would have mayhem right now