Nqaba Bhanga, centre, the Democratic Alliance Eastern Cape leader, 6 May 2017. Picture: Twitter
DA Eastern Cape premier candidate Nqaba Bhanga has accused the political party coalition that usurped the DA’s Athol Trollip from the Nelson Mandela Bay mayoral position of planning to “milk the city dry”.
Bhanga said in a statement: “[Mongameli] Bobani and his fake mayoral committee have already given orders to halt tenders and have started to interfere in the appointment of municipal staff.
“Their focus is on removing the Municipal Manager Johann Mettler, in order to boost their illegal activities and rob the people of the Bay.”
The Herald on Tuesday reported that Bobani was preparing to suspend Mettler. The publication reported on Thursday that National Treasury intervened, seeking answers on allegations.
Bhanga reiterated the DA’s stance that the election of a new speaker, Trollip’s removal, and the election of a new executive mayor and deputy executive mayor had been illegal and invalid.
Bhanga said: “The Democratic Alliance will not attend tomorrow’s council meeting, as it is an illegal sitting called by an illegitimate speaker.
“At the previous council meeting, after interference by Fikile Xasa EC MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, the illegal sitting was full of irregularities.”
The DA’s provincial leader accused the EFF and UDM of handing the city back “to the very ANC thieves who had previously brought the city to its knees”.
Bhanga continued: “The legitimate NMB coalition government filed high court papers requesting a review of what we believe to have been a set of illegal decisions.
“Bobani’s statement, in which he calls the NMB coalition’s case ‘wishy-washy’, shows his ignorance of legal matters.
“We are more than confident that we will prevail when the PE High Court hears the application on 13 September. We will make a victorious return to City Hall.”
On Wednesday, the DA announced Bhanga as its Eastern Cape premier candidate.
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