Weeks after they turned on their party by voting with the new Nelson Mandela Bay coalition, there is still uncertainty over whether or not three DA councillors are still members of the council.
While the DA was adamant Neville Higgins, Trevor Louw and Mbulelo Manyati were no longer party members and that their disciplinary hearings had been concluded, the three said they were waiting to be summoned to appear before its federal legal commission.
DA Eastern Cape leader Nqaba Bhanga said that Louw (ward 35), Higgins (ward 37) and Manyati were no longer councillors after disciplinary processes against them were concluded in September.
Bhanga said the party through its lawyers had notified acting city manager Nolwandle Gqiba on the outcome of the disciplinary proceedings.
Gqiba said to protect the city from any possible litigation she had asked the councillors to respond to claims that their matters had been put to bed.
“I have written to all three of them informing them that the DA has said all processes have been followed. I have given the councillors seven days to either concur or dispute this,” Gqiba said.
Should a vacancy be declared with the IEC, a by-election would have to take place in wards 35 and 37 within three months.
Manyati on Monday insisted he was still a councillor before accusing the party of having no knowledge of its own constitution. He was instrumental in helping the former opposition remove Athol Trollip as mayor.
Higgins also revealed that he had not resigned despite Bhanga earlier saying he had received his resignation letter.
“I have not received a letter from the DA informing me that my membership has ceased,” Higgins said.
Louw said he too was still a councillor.
The two ward councillors went against the party when they showed up at a council meeting while the rest of the party’s councillors stayed away.
Their attendance gave newly elected mayor Mongameli Bobani, his executive and the rest of the councilors the numbers to reach a quorum.
At that meeting, the council took a decision to serve city manager Johann Mettler with a notice of intention to suspend him.
Bhanga said it would take the municipality to court should it fail to implement its decision to fire the three.