New Bay coalition squabbles over positions
Briefing to announce mayoral committee cancelled at last moment because of deadlock in negotiations
With no agreement in place, the new coalition hit a stumbling block yesterday when a briefing to announce Nelson Mandela Bay’s newest mayoral committee was cancelled moments after it was meant to begin.
This was their first hurdle as parties jostled for positions after successfully removing the DA-led coalition on Friday.
Bay mayor Gary van Niekerk, who became the third person at the helm of the city since the 2021 local government elections, was meant to introduce members of his mayoral committee.
Members of the media were invited to a briefing where the new mayoral committee was to be announced.
But by noon, when the briefing was meant to start, it emerged that negotiations over the positions remained deadlocked.
Members of the new coalition were seen huddled together on the ground floor of City Hall, presumably discussing the cancelled meeting.
They included newly appointed council chief whip Wandisile Jikeka, EFF regional chair Khanya Ngqisha, AIC councillor Thsonono Buyeye and the PAC’s Bassie Kamana.
Van Niekerk, who availed himself for photographs, took a call from PA president Gayton McKenzie, with his aides kicking members of the media out so he could talk to McKenzie.
Insiders said the delay in the announcement was because of the EFF demanding mayoral committee positions in charge of service delivery portfolios.
Two of the party’s eight councillors currently chair two committees the municipal public accounts committee (MPAC) as well as the rules and ethics committee.
According to ANC insiders, the EFF was demanding additional positions, seeking service delivery portfolios so as to be seen to be delivering services to the public.
It is believed that one of the departments it was eyeing was earmarked for coalition partner the Patriotic Alliance (PA).
This is said to have caused the delay in the announcement of Van Niekerk’s executive.
The new coalition consists of the ANC (48), EFF (8), PA (2), Northern Alliance (2), PAC (1), AIC (1) and DOP (2), which is said to have joined at the last minute.
One insider alleged that the negotiations had been deadlocked since Friday with the EFF voicing unhappiness about the number of positions it was getting.
“The PA only has two councillors, while the EFF has eight.
“Getting two MMCs would mean 100% of the party [PA].
“That is one of the issues, but everything will be discussed later today [yesterday],” the insider said.
An ANC councillor said the EFF was demanding a service delivery portfolio, even though it was already heading the MPAC as well as the rules and ethics committee.
“They are now coming afterwards to demand a service
‘They are now coming afterwards to demand a service delivery department, like human settlements or infrastructure, but they can’t be in charge of two oversight committees and then want to be involved in service delivery departments’
delivery department, like human settlements or infrastructure, but they can’t be in charge of two oversight committees and then want to be involved in service delivery departments.
“There is conflict there because they must provide oversight over other committees,” the councillor said.
He said there had been an agreement in place before Friday’s heated council meeting, but the EFF had since made new demands.
He said the PA, though it had two seats in the council, would take up two mayoral committee positions, and the EFF was not happy with this.
“The ANC will take four MMC positions, but it is willing to sacrifice one position if needed.”
The councillor said the Defenders of the People (DOP) or any other party that joined the pact after the coalition agreement was already signed would not be accommodated in the mayoral committee.
Another coalition partner said the DOP had only joined the new coalition on Friday, adding that this was evident during the tense vote on the day.
“There’s a feeling that Tukela Zumani, who previously served as portfolio head of budget and treasury, should be given that position because he did a good job.
“However, the ANC has already identified [Buyelwa] Mafaya for that position.
“These are the things that still need to be sorted out so I’m not sure when the media alert went out that the mayor was going to announce his Mayco, when in fact things hadn’t been finalised yet,” the third insider said.
The DA’s Retief Odendaal was successfully removed as mayor through a motion of no confidence on Friday after 62 councillors voted for his removal.
Yesterday, municipal spokesperson Kupido Baron, who had initially pushed back the reveal by 30 minutes, was at pains to announce that the briefing had been postponed, adding that a new date would be announced soon.
Ahead of the postponed announcement, councillors from the ANC, EFF, NA and EFF made their way inside City Hall.
So far, negotiations show that:
● Mafaya is tipped for the budget and treasury portfolio;
● The ANC’s Tumi Ranyele for infrastructure and engineering;
● The ANC’s Thembinkosi Mafana for human settlements;
● The NA’s Stag Mitchell for safety and security;
● The PA’s Bradley Murray for roads and transport;
● The PA’s Shuling Lindoor for economic development, tourism and agriculture;
● The PAC’s Kamana for sport, recreation, arts and culture; and
● The AIC’s Buyeye for public health.
Mafaya, Ranyele, Mafana, Mitchell, Kamana, Buyeye and the ANC’s Yolisa Pali were all at City Hall ahead of the planned media briefing.
Asked about the reasons for the delays, and to respond to claims the EFF was demanding additional positions, Ngqisha declined to comment, saying he was in a meeting.
The coalition went into a meeting in the afternoon to hash out the divvying up of posts.
Jikeka directed questions to ANC regional deputy chair Siphiwo Tshaka, who did not respond to questions at the time of going to print.
Van Niekerk also did not respond to questions or answer his phone.