Meeting to 'oust mayor Bobani' falls flat

A special meeting where the DA, ACDP and COPE in Nelson Mandela Bay had hoped to oust mayor Mongameli Bobani has been "aborted" after the seven councillors of the coalition government, who had signed the petition, failed to turn up.

The parties who had pitched  - DA, ACDP and COPE - merely entered the council chambers to observe the rules of order. 

This, as only 59 councillors out of 120 councillors turned up. They did not reach the 61-member quorum as required by the council rules of order.

But DA councillor Athol Trollip adjourned the meeting when it became clear that the members of the coalition were not going to attend.

Cooperative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) officials were also not at the meeting.

This was despite Cogta MEC Xolile Nqatha saying an official would attend the sitting to observe the proceedings.

DA Eastern Cape leader Nqaba Bhanga had written to Nqatha asking that an official preside over the meeting in the absence of the acting city manager.

Trollip said the councillors who were not at meeting were prepared to carry the cost of Bobani's mayorship, which meant losing grant roll-overs to the tune of R500m.

"We went in chambers on time to observe the rules of order. We put out three motions of no confidence and, on technicality, the speaker did not include them in the council agenda but we have since rectified this," Trollip said.

"The coalition are all prepared to pay the price for Bobani, which means the city will lose its grant funding and possibly R3bn of its equitable share.

"The UDM is supporting this despite its representative in the Bhisho legislature supporting placing the city under administration, " Trollip said.

The motions would be dealt with at the next council meeting in September, he said. 

ACDP councillor Lance Grootboom said the the governing coalition's incompetence was clear.

"It is clear that since Bobani has been in power we couldn't spend R200m yet we want to approve a R700m loan funding. Why must we support a mayor that cannot serve the people of this metro?" Grootboom said.

COPE councillor Siyasanga Sijadu said she was bitterly disappointed that the councillors who had signed the petition did not attend.

"When we heard that ANC was on board this time around we thought there were great things coming for this city.

"The fact that these councillors are not here is very telling and speaks volumes," Sijadu said.

Six ANC councillors and Patriotic Alliance councillor Marlon Daniels had signed the petition that was submitted to speaker Buyelwa Mafaya’s office urging her to hold a special meeting on Friday.

The petition contains the signatures of ANC councillors Andile Lungisa, Andile Mfunda, Morgan Tshaka, Becinga Mbuqu, Xola Tyali and Mzuvukile Boti.

Both Mfunda and Tshaka had since said they tricked as they believed the sitting was to debate service delivery-related matters.