Deputy mayor shown the door

PORT ELIZABETH: Against the backdrop of chaotic scenes, the Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) council has booted out the United Democratic Movement’s Mongameli Bobani as the city’s deputy mayor.

Tensions were high, and as the matter went to a vote, some councillors expressed their rejection of the motion before exiting the chamber.

Sixty votes were in favour of the motion brought by Patriotic Alliance councillor Marlon Daniels to have Bobani ousted from his position. The DA, African Christian Democratic Party and Cope supported the motion.

“The deputy executive mayor’s erratic behaviour has led to instability in this government and has on a number of occasions unnecessarily delayed important council business,” said Daniels.

Disgruntled councillors from the opposition benches, including the ANC, EFF and African Independent Congress, walked out of the council chamber while voting went ahead.

ANC caucus leader Bicks Ndoni said the fundamental issue was that at the time some councillors were busy walking out of the chambers, and a “fabricated quorum” was created for the 61-member quorum needed to continue with the meeting.

“It’s a criminal thing that was done and it cannot be left like that. While people are standing and you say the meeting continues, it cannot be like that; it’s a very serious transgression. We are not going to take it lying down, we are going to pursue the matter and seek legal advice,” Ndoni told the media outside.

“It’s not a technicality, it’s a clear matter of a quorum not being there. There was no quorum at the time the decision was taken, we are are very sure of that. They themselves know that they only have 60 councillors, so this thing of them saying we are hastily counting is very wrong.”

EFF councillor Zilindile Vena said they rejected the Patriotic Alliance “creeping in the back door”.

Bobani claimed Speaker Jonathan Lawack was meant to adjourn the meeting as soon as the situation became chaotic.

“How can the motion be passed when the other councillors were walking out? He was supposed to ensure that the meeting was in order, stop everything and count whether there are enough councillors to ensure the quorum can continue,” he said. –ANA