Cracks begin to show in Mandela Bay coalition

A special meeting of the Nelson Mandela Bay council could not proceed on Thursday as not enough councillors were present to form a quorum.

ANC councillors refused to enter the venue and Economic Freedom Fighters members had already given notice of their intention not to attend.

Most notable, however, was the deliberate absence of deputy mayor and regional United Democratic Movement chair Mongameli Bobani and fellow UDM councillor Thoko Tshangela.

The UDM is part of the Democratic Alliance-led coalition government formed after last year’s local government elections. Although mayor Athol Trollip was quick to allay speculation that the coalition was in trouble, it was clear the two parties were at loggerheads.

The coalition includes the African Christian Democratic Party and the Congress of the People, which each hold one seat in the council.

Trollip said it was unfortunate that the meeting could not convene. It was an important meeting at which the city’s annual report and midyear report would have been tabled.

“I think that is wishful thinking; this coalition has not collapsed. There is obviously a difference of opinion with some of our coalition partners, but we will deal with that.

“This is a coalition government; it’s not easy. We are not an outright majority government so we will go and negotiate with our coalition partners to find common ground,” he said.

Bobani told reporters that the UDM was unhappy with two items on the agenda — the extension of Vuyo Zitumane’s post as acting executive director of corporate services and the firing of the executive director of corporate services, Mod Ndoyana. City manager Johann Mettler sacked him in December.

Bobani said the UDM was against Mettler’s appointment as city manager, despite having voted in favour of his appointment last year. He was acting city manager under previous mayor Danny Jordaan and got the job after the city backtracked on the appointment of Vuyo Mlokothi in November.

The matter has reached provincial level. Eastern Cape co-operative governance MEC Fikile Xasa insisted that the post be re-advertised, saying the municipality did not follow recruitment law in appointing Mettler.

Mlokothi is currently employed in Xasa’s office. He has indicated his intent to take the municipality to court for rescinding the decision to appoint him.

Bobani said the UDM agreed with the MEC about Mettler’s appointment. “I won’t say these are the first cracks in the coalition. It is a difference of opinion. The coalition is still there and I am still the deputy mayor. We are not going to lose our identity as the UDM.”

The party would not remain silent when it believed something was wrong merely because they were members of a coalition, he said. — News24 Wire