Trollip backs down over MBDA board

Mayor withdraws names of two candidates after council’s concerns

MAYOR Athol Trollip made a U-turn yesterday after his plans to push for his personal attorney and a businessman who played a significant role in his election campaign to serve on the MBDA board failed.

After his proposal in the Nelson Mandela Bay council to appoint attorney Brin Brody to join the city’s development agency board was badly received, Trollip withdrew both names.

The councillors felt there was a conflict of interest because Brody was Trollip’s lawyer and it was ultimately the mayor’s decision to handpick the board members based on those who had applied.

Brody represents Trollip in his defamation suit against a former DA councillor, Knight Mali.

Another of Trollip’s proposals to fill some of the board vacancies – Port Elizabeth businessman Andrew Jensen – was rejected by the EFF, which felt more women should be on the board.

There was currently only one woman on the MBDA board, according to spokesman Luvuyo Bangazi.

As part of Trollip’s campaign for votes in the run-up to the 2016 municipal elections, the DA launched an entrepreneurship competition where entrepreneurs were given an opportunity to submit their business plans, scrutinised by a panel chaired by Jensen, who also mentored the winner.

In a report presented by Trollip to the council yesterday, he said Brody and Jensen were the remaining board candidates following a recruitment process.

This prompted UDM councillor Mongameli Bobani to question why Trollip did not disclose his involvement with Brody.

“Brin Brody is your own personal lawyer and you are bringing him here yet you did not declare when the council meeting started,” Bobani said.

EFF councillor and municipal public accounts committee (Mpac) chairwoman Yoliswa Yako said it was tantamount to cadre deployment.

“Let us not replace a tendency with a tendency and encourage cadre deployment when it’s convenient,” Yako said.

She urged Trollip to consider black women for the two positions. “We have a lot of capable women who can do this job.”

ANC councillor Mbulelo Gidane also demanded that Brody’s name be withdrawn.

Trollip said he could not understand why it was an issue as former mayor Danny Jordaan appointed a board of directors at his own discretion.

“The council requires that we disclose financial interests and I have no financial interests here,” Trollip said.

“It is incongruous that the previous mayor appointed all the board members without objections and [was] well acquainted with a number of them.

“We were told we need legal expertise and that is why I proposed Brin Brody.” He said he agreed with Yako’s concerns. Councillors voted on the item, with the coalition losing to the opposition.

The vote was, however, not acknowledged by acting speaker Rano Kayser.

Trollip then withdrew the two names, to consider women for the two positions.

Brody said he was under the impression that a committee would decide on the appointment and not Trollip.

“I applied because I would add value to the board of the MBDA because of my legal background and knowledge. I did not consider there to be a conflict,” Brody said.

Jensen confirmed providing mentorship for the DA but said he had applied for the position fairly.

The MBDA board has space for 15 directors and currently has five vacancies.