The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) has described the election process of Nelson Mandela Bay’s new mayor, Nqaba Bhanga, as being tainted with flaws and not in compliance with legislation.
According to a statement released by Cogta, they received a report from the acting city manager regarding the metro’s council meeting last Friday that included the process of electing the DA’s Bhanga as the new mayor.
The statement read that the election of the acting speaker by councillors to preside over the election of a new executive mayor was done in contravention of terms of section 36 (3) of Local Government: Municipal Structures Act, 1998 (Act No. 117 of 1998).
“Neither the acting city manager nor a person designated by the MEC presided over the election of the acting speaker on December 4, 2020. The election of the acting speaker was thus wrongful, unlawful and null and void,” the statement read.
“All his actions that day were null and void, that includes presiding over the election of the executive mayor.”
The statement concluded that the metro is requested to convene a special council meeting in order to comply with the court order urgently as the municipality does not have an executive mayor.
The DA’s leader in the Eastern Cape was elected as mayor during a chaotic and drama-filled council meeting that lasted for more than 11 hours.
After Speaker Buyelwa Mafaya was manhandled and forcefully removed from the chambers approximately six hours into the meeting, the PA’s Marlon Daniels was elected as acting speaker to continue the process of electing a new mayor.
Bhanga was then elected by councillors of the DA, PA, Cope, ACDP, UF and AIC.
Bhanga’s spokesperson, Morné Steyn, said that a media briefing regarding this matter will be held later today.
