Wednesday’s Nelson Mandela Bay council meeting got off to a rocky start when several parties called for two National Alliance councillors — which included mayor Gary van Niekerk — to declare their conflict of interests for an item that accuses him of breaching the code of conduct.

The parties called for Van Niekerk and National Alliance councillor Stag Mitchell to recuse themselves when a letter by ACDP councillor Lance Grootboom that details how the mayor allegedly breached the code of conduct for councillors is debated. ..