Head-scratching as jovial Bobani changes his tune
IF you were attending a Nelson Mandela Bay committee meeting for the first time yesterday, you may have walked out believing that all is well within the coalition government and that everybody gets along just fine.
Deputy mayor Mongameli Bobani, displaying a rather dramatic change of attitude since the last mayoral committee meeting, was in high spirits – agreeing with everything mayor Athol Trollip had to say and declaring that the “coalition is here to stay”.
This had even Trollip battling to keep a straight face, while the others in the room exclaimed in surprise or giggled.
Bobani has in recent months opposed his coalition partners at every turn, even going as far as aligning himself with opposition parties at council meetings.
At the last mayoral committee meeting, he clashed with some of the senior DA councillors and almost came to blows with human settlements political head Nqaba Bhanga.
Yesterday, his attitude had undergone a sea change, with a jovial and agreeable Bobani saying things like “I support you 100%, mayor”.
At one point, Bobani – who is at odds with corporate services executive director Vuyo Zitumane as the two are embroiled in a defamation lawsuit – referred to her as “a very important lady”.
He was commenting on an error in the agenda which still had her as the acting head of department.
“How can you lower her? She’s a very important lady,” he said.
Perplexed mayoral committee members and senior managers looked at each other, baffled by the change in his attitude.
Discussing a report on the draft service charter – a document outlining the type and quality of services residents should expect from the city – he said it showed the coalition government’s commitment to bringing about change in the Bay.
He said the public would now see the city was well run and that the coalition government was committed to providing services for its five-year term.
“This coalition government is saying, see us, judge us, and I assure you no opposition is going to try to hammer us – I will stand for this in council.”
As they left later, the bewildered councillors and officials asked: “What just happened in there?”
Bobani’s behaviour at the last mayoral committee meeting drew the criticism of the UDM’s deputy president, Nqabayomzi Kwankwa, who called him destructive and said his behaviour had to be nipped in the bud.
It is not known if that sparked the change in his attitude.
However, asked yesterday about the change in attitude, Bobani said: “I’m part of the coalition and we’re here to ensure that this coalition delivers to the city.
“This coalition is here to stay for the whole five years.”