South African opposition political party (Democratic Alliance) chief whip John Steenhuisen gestures as he greets the crowd at the Democratic Alliance (DA) manifesto launch at The Rand Stadium in Johannesburg on February 23, 2019. (Photo by GULSHAN KHAN / AFP)
South African opposition political party (Democratic Alliance) chief whip John Steenhuisen gestures as he greets the crowd at the Democratic Alliance (DA) manifesto launch at The Rand Stadium in Johannesburg on February 23, 2019. (Photo by GULSHAN KHAN / AFP)
Through John Steenhuisen, the Democratic Alliance (DA) have announced they will make the current crisis in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality a matter of national importance. They have vowed to a form a Parliamentary task team which will focus on rescuing NMB from the state it has found itself in.
It’s gone wrong for Bobani
Regarless of political allegiances, there has been an undeniable downturn in fortunes since the UDM’s Mongameli Bobali was made NMB Mayor last September. He’s found himself caught up in a number of scandals, including an illicit drain-clearing tender linked to the deaths of 18 people in the city. A team from the Auditor General’s office also fled the city, after receiving death threats.
The municipality in Port Elizabeth has gone from having billions in the bank, to staring at a R3 billion black hole of debt. National Treasury is recalling that money from the controversial IPTS bus system, which could bankrupt the municipality. Bobani’s divisive appointment as leader came at the expense of the DA’s Athol Trollip, and the party aren’t ready to lie down and accept the city’s shift in fortunes.
John Steenhuisen targets NMB council
John Steenhuisen, the DA’s Parliamentary leader, has outlined how his party plan to bring change to the Eastern Cape – and it starts by overhauling the current regime:
“Since his election as Mayor in September 2018 Nelson Mandela Bay has regressed on all governance, financial and service delivery indicators. To make matters worse Day Zero has arrived in parts of Nelson Mandela Bay with dam levels at critically low levels and no plan from the Mayor to deal with this crisis.”
“The situation in NMB is a national crisis which threatens to destabilize a major Metropolitan Municipality and the ANC government has failed to provide leadership. Considering this, I will be convening a task team of DA Members of Parliament to focus on interventions that can rescue Nelson Mandela Bay from the coalition of corruption.”
John Steenhuisen
Steenhuisen also took the opportunity to bemoan the ANC’s attempts to handle the situation. Local branches have pulled out of no-confidence motions against Bobani, and a lack of national leadership on the matter has irked the DA. President Ramaphosa is understood to have ignored requests to intervene, too.
