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Nelson Mandela Bay executive mayor, Nqaba Bhanga, on Wednesday announced his new mayoral committee formed out of a multi-party coalition.
They are the Democratic Alliance, United Democratic Movement, African Christian Democratic Party, United Front and with the AIC committing to signing the coalition agreement.
Notably absent, was Patriotic Alliance councillor Marlon Daniels, who was the acting Speaker at the chaotic Special Council which saw Bhanga being elected as Metro mayor.
The mayor said the PA had pulled out of the coalition because it wanted a particular position which could not be offered.
Bhanga said it was a difficult decision for him as the Patriotic Alliance had supported the DA in the past and had also helped him when he was elected mayor.
“It’s sad to lose a party, but there’s nothing I can do about it. It’s a multi-party arrangement,” he said in response to a question from the media.
However, he said the mayoral committee was the embodiment of a new coalition of good governance that has vowed to work together and put the people of this great city first.
ACDP councillor, Lance Grootboom, was emphatic in announcing that this was “not a DA-led coalition” but a coalition government.
As MMC for Public Health, he committed to “hit the ground running” in dealing with the Covid19 resurgence in the Metro
Cope councillor, Siyasanda Sijadu, she was glad that the parties had managed to put their egos aside to form a coalition government to work in the best interest of the city.
“All mayoral committee members have also pledged to hit the ground running and will be working throughout the Festive season, to begin the rollout of a comprehensive turnaround plan, which forms part of the coalition agreement, for their respective departments,” Bhanga said.
The Mayoral Committee Members are:
