Neither shall we put any DA member in power again – Holomisa’s response to Zille

After the 2016 elections, the DA governed the municipality in coalition with the UDM, Cope, ACDP and, at times, the Patriotic Alliance (PA). However, relations between then-DA mayor Athol Trollip and Bobani, who was his deputy mayor, soon soured.

After failed attempts to remove Trollip, the EFF, ANC and UDM finally succeeded in August 2018 at a dramatic council meeting.

The ANC, UDM, African Independent Congress (AIC) and United Front formed a minority coalition government, governing with the EFF’s support. As allegations against Bobani mounted amid several service delivery failures, he was removed in December, and the EFF did not participate.

Earlier this month, Zille confirmed there were “talks about talks” about forming a new coalition government in Nelson Mandela Bay.

In response to a question posed to the UDM leader on Wednesday on whether this was a decision his party had taken, Holomisa asked whether Zille’s position was her own or that of the DA.

In another response, Holomisa called for proof to be tabled if Bobani was corrupt.

The UDM leader has previously demanded the DA to apologise to Bobani as part of its conditions in coalition talks.

Holomisa had said at the time that the only condition in the talks was that he be handed a copy of a report by PriceWaterCoopers that was commissioned by Trollip to investigate Bobani while he was MMC for public health. It was reported that Holomisa believes the report would prove Bobani’s innocence.

(Additional reporting, News24Wire)