Patriotic Alliance to show hand today
McKenzie’s decision will make or break DA’s fate in Bay
THE Patriotic Alliance (PA) will reveal today whether or not it will support the bid to oust Athol Trollip as mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay. Emerging as the kingmaker ahead of Thursday’s highly anticipated council meeting, the PA’s one seat in the council could mean the difference between the DA-led coalition staying at the helm and structuring a new coalition altogether.
“There’s been a lot of lobbying. Everybody is promising us everything,” PA president Gayton McKenzie said yesterday.
“What is clear is that the PA is the kingmaker and we’re in no corner.”
McKenzie, who was in Port Elizabeth yesterday with his deputy, Leanne Williams, ahead of the all-important council meeting, said they were meeting Trollip yesterday and wanted to get a sense from the people on the ground before making a final decision.
Their decision would be announced today so that residents did not have to wait until Thursday to know which way the vote would go, McKenzie said. “It’s not about us,” he said. “We want to meet the people on the ground.
“What we need to keep in mind is what is important for the people of Nelson Mandela Bay.”
What would ultimately tip the scale in Trollip’s favour is if the mayor agrees to the PA’s demands – which have remained unchanged since they were first put forward nine months ago.
The party wants the deputy mayor position as well as the post of political head of safety and security.
When the PA got into bed with the coalition last year, Trollip refused to accede to giving PA councillor Marlon Daniels both positions.
This led to the PA eventually pulling out of the coalition after only three months.
At the time, Trollip could count on the EFF’s backing. But that has since changed.
The EFF, with its six seats, needs the support of every other opposition party to make up the 61-vote majority in the council of 120 seats.
The DA, COPE and ACDP together have 59 seats, while the ANC has 50, the EFF six, the UDM two and the PA, AIC and United Front one each.
All the other opposition parties, except for the PA, have openly declared that they will support the bid to remove Trollip as mayor.
The council rules state that in the event of a tie, the speaker can use his casting vote to sway the decision
McKenzie said he had spoken on the phone with DA leader Mmusi Maimane and ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule, who had both lobbied for his party’s support.
He did not, however, receive any calls from his political foe, EFF leader Julius Malema, whose party is sponsoring the motion to oust Trollip.
“The EFF’s top leadership has not engaged us,” McKenzie said.
“But their local leadership has spoken to our councillor, Marlon [Daniels].”
Explaining why they were so hell-bent on the deputy mayor and safety and security posts, McKenzie said it was important for young people in the northern areas to see that someone who looked like them could hold such a prestigious office.
Williams said they wanted to co-govern to influence change and make a difference in people’s lives.
McKenzie said: “With regard to the safety and security position, we are just tired of burying young people.
“We want to stop the crime that is killing our young people.”
Meanwhile, Trollip said earlier yesterday that there were many hours until Thursday and anything could happen before the noconfidence motion was tabled.
In the hope of clinging to power, the DA was speaking to all the political parties, except the ANC, in a bid to sway them against supporting the move to unseat the coalition government, Trollip said.
“We’ve been speaking to all the political parties, including the UDM, who have made it very clear that they would be voting against the DA and the coalition – and that’s their choice.
“[But] the negotiations with other parties will continue until the morning of the motion of no confidence – the DA will not just hand over this administration.”
The Bay is set to be a hive of political activity this week, with ANC and EFF bigwigs heading to the metro.
Malema will address a rally at New Brighton’s Nangoza Jebe Hall tomorrow, while the DA will host a #SaveNMB Rally at Vuyisile Mini Square. The ANC, led by its national elections head, Fikile Mbalula, will stage a rally on the day of the council meeting in front of City Hall.
The ANC’s national executive committee resolved at the weekend to have its deployment committee decide on its mayoral candidate to replace Trollip, should they succeed in having him removed.
It is believed that former Bay deputy mayor and ANC caucus leader Bicks Ndoni is among the front-runners being considered for the post.
Ndoni said he had not been approached to be a candidate, while the ANC refused to confirm the names being considered for the mayorship.
Provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukayitobi said: “The ANC must have continued discussions with other parties as the ANC cannot conclude this on its own. We’ve been humbled by the fact the ANC is not the majority and we have provisions for a mayoral candidate which we will discuss with other parties.”
EFF secretary-general Godrich Gardee said the ANC had not discussed any names with it as yet.
However, he reiterated that only a candidate of the calibre of former deputy finance minister Mcebisi Jonas would be endorsed by the party.
The UDM’s Mongameli Bobani said discussions with all political parties would be finalised by tomorrow.
‘ Negotiations with other parties will continue until the morning of the motion