PORT ELIZABETH - The ANC in Nelson Mandela Bay has been warned that if they do not support the Patriotic Alliance’s Marlon Daniels for the deputy mayor position the party would pull out of the Ekurhuleni coalition.
The threat was made by PA leader Gayton Mckenzie who introduced Daniels as the MMC for roads and transport in Nelson Mandela Bay at a press conference on Wednesday.
If Daniels does not get the deputy mayor position which has remained vacant for months and was subsequently dissolved at council, the PA will remain committed to the DA-led coalition in Nelson Mandela Bay - with Mckenzie stressing that it was not about positions but rather about service delivery to the people.
Daniels has since signed the coalition co-governance agreement following negotiations between the two parties and an EFF sponsored vote of no confidence against mayor Athol Trollip which did not materialise at two special council sittings.
“Five minutes shall not pass and we will not be part of Ekurhuleni coalition. That is how it’s going. If you want to be our friend, be our friend but do not work with our political enemies to destroy the chances of our representative becoming the deputy mayor.”
PA leader Gayton McKenzie warns the ANC in Nelson Mandela Bay , that if the ANC doesn’t support Marlon Daniels for the deputy mayor position the PA will withdraw from the Ekurhuleni coalition and will not vote with them in Cape Town, Gauteng and the Free State.
Video: Raahil Sain
“They do that and we will withdraw within five minutes at Ekurhuleni and we will stop voting with them in Gauteng, Cape Town and the Free State,” said McKenzie.
Trollip was notably absent from the briefing but McKenzie dismissed his absence by saying the briefing was held by the PA even though banners on display were official signage for Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.
“We not serving in this thing at the behest of mayor Trollip, don’t make that mistake. We not being done a favour to be here. We do not need the mayor, he has more pressing issues than to be sitting here doing something we can do.”
Mckenzie committed to supporting the DA-lead coalition in Nelson Mandela Bay until 2021. He said that he respected Trollip while taking several jabs at EFF leader Julius Malema.
“Who does Malema think he is? He is a small boy. Just because he chases old people like Zuma he thinks he can come chase us, not here it stops here. [Malema] says he rules the country, which country? He can’t remove Trollip how do you rule the country.”
“Until 2021 mayor Trollip has the guarantee of the the PA, the kingmakers. He must be judged on merit, we can’t be told that the throat of whiteness must be cut. There are very stupid people in the world they can take that literally,” he said.
The PA were adamant that they would not support decisions on the basis of race and Trollip should not be removed from the helm merely based on the colour of his skin.