Request for special meeting to remove Trollip denied

The Nelson Mandela Bay metro council speaker Jonathan Lawack has denied the request from opposition councillors to hold a special meeting on Friday, where a motion of no confidence against Mayor Athol Trollip was expected to be tabled.

In a letter addressed to six opposition councillors, Lawack said according to the city’s council rules, the speaker may convene a special seating after five days of receiving written requests from the majority of councillors or the mayor.

“Having taken advice and with due regard to the applicable legislation, importantly read in conjunction with the Rules of Order, I am unable to accede to your request for a council meeting of 10 August,” he said.

Lawack argued that the date was in breach of the rules.

“Additionally I would like to bring to your attention, that the substance of your motions are contained in the agenda of the council meeting of 16 August 2018,” he said.

Opposition councillors had agreed at a meeting last week to have Trollip removed as mayor and had asked the speaker to convene a meeting on Friday.

The replacement of the mayor, however, remains a big issue within the parties as the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has rejected the name of Patriotic Alliance councillor Marlon Daniels.

The United Democratic Movement’s Mongameli Bobabi, who was sacked as the city’s deputy mayor, is reportedly also keen to take over from Trollip.

The opposition parties in the city have a combined 61 seats while the DA-led coalition has 59.