Inside Bay council lobbying machine

Smaller parties in frantic jostling for positions while DA seeks survival Lobbying among political parties in Nelson Mandela Bay is in full swing ahead of next week’s do-or-die council meeting as the opposition gears up to take over from the coalition government. But while the ANC and minority parties jostle for positions to form a new coalition, the DA has reached out to the Patriotic Alliance (PA) in a bid to sway the party to once again join its fold. DA leader Mmusi Maimane confirmed yesterday they were in talks with all political parties, saying they were not only talking to the PA. “Negotiations are happening at local government level with local structures – we are busy negotiating with all the parties, not any specific party,” he said. “My job is to engage all the national leaders and we continue to do that. “We will meet with anybody who is true to their values. “There will always be a lot of demands during a negotiation that people put forward, but the only principle we will uphold is what serves the people of Nelson Mandela Bay.” However, DA insiders said the party was banking heavily on getting the PA on its side. Should the PA, with its one seat, side with the DA and its coalition partners COPE and the ACDP on the morning of March 29, the EFF’s bid to oust mayor Athol Trollip would fail. 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 the ACDP have 59 seats, while the ANC has 50, the EFF 6, the UDM 2 and the PA, AIC and United Front (UF) have one seat each. The council rules state that in the event of a tie, the speaker can use his casting vote to sway the decision. Insiders privy to the discussions among the ANC, EFF, UDM, AIC, PA and UF in the Bay – who refer to themselves as the “black caucus” – said their discussions were now mostly centred around positions. UDM councillor and ex-deputy mayor Mongameli Bobani is said to be gunning to be reinstated as deputy mayor.

“There is quite a lot of lobbying happening this week for positions,” one councillor said. “[EFF leader Julius] Malema said they would support an ANC mayor if it’s a credible candidate, but the ANC is not sure if it’s interested in the mayorship. “The ANC is looking at its credibility and doesn’t know if it can trust the EFF because it is unpredictable.” Historically the underdogs, the smaller opposition parties are also said to be eyeing the mayorship should the ANC not field a candidate. “The black caucus will field someone if the ANC doesn’t want the mayor position,” the councillor said. “We are pushing the EFF to be part of the government – to take up a portfolio or two – because it will hopefully make them more stable in their decisions, but the EFF does not want to be part of the government.” Another member of the black caucus said that from the discussions about positions thus far, it had emerged that the PA wanted to take charge of the safety and security portfolio. The AIC was eyeing the infrastructure and engineering portfolio, while the UF wanted to head the economic development portfolio. But although all the opposition parties are said to be singing the same tune in wanting to remove Trollip, some are wary of trusting PA councillor Marlon Daniels. “Marlon is up for the bidding. He is up for sale,” another councillor said. “Throw him a bone and he will take it.” A third councillor said there was a lot of mistrust among the parties in the black caucus. “We don’t trust each other at all,” the councillor said. “Even Marlon, we are not sure which way he will vote because we know he’s talking to [DA Eastern Cape leader] Nqaba Bhanga. “But we are saying that anything they offer him, we can offer too.” Daniels tabled the last motion to remove Trollip in November, but failed after the EFF decided to throw its weight behind the coalition.

He was part of the coalition for a short stint last year, but pulled out when the DA refused to accede to the PA’s demand for the deputy mayor position. Daniels played his cards close to his chest yesterday. Asked if he was being wooed by the DA, Daniels said: “I have received a few phone calls from the DA – it’s different individuals in the DA. “All I can say is that the PA will do what is right and what is needed in the interest of the metro. “What we need to determine as a party is if we are running away from a roaring lion straight into a crouching tiger. “Neither of the two [ANC and DA] are better.” He said the PA, AIC and UF belonged to a “block”. “We met [on Monday night] and decided our position as a block. “We are committed to the black caucus, but we must make it clear that our votes are not for free – we won’t be undermined as a minority. “We are no different from a party with 50 seats. “Our one-seat votes carry the same weight as those with more seats.”

Asked about claims that he was for sale to the highest bidder, Daniels said: “We are not in a friendship club or a Tupperware party. “We are political parties and we must look at what is to the benefit of our constituents.” The ANC said on Monday night that the party’s national executive committee would decide if it should form a coalition with the other parties. “The ANC for obvious reasons supports the motion of no confidence against the racist Athol Trollip administration,” ANC Eastern Cape spokesman Gift Ngqondi said. “Beyond just names that are thrown around, including the demand by the EFF that the ANC must provide a credible leader as the executive mayor, what is our strategic goal? “The ANC will continue to participate in dialogue with other opposition parties in the Nelson Mandela [Bay metro], which seeks to identify the best combination of both the policies and individuals that can constitute the best leadership of the metro going forward,” he said. The UDM’s Bobani said he was looking forward to governing from March 29 to start delivering services to residents of the city and rooting out corruption.