If the parties gunning to unseat mayor Retief Odendaal are successful, the ANC has revealed in a report that it is not fully in support of the Northern Alliance (NA) taking mayorship.
Negotiations for the formation of a new coalition government that hopes to rule in the Bay are still open between the ANC and its prospective coalition partners, with the party pronouncing its decision to take up critical positions such as the mayor, deputy mayor and speaker.
This comes as the NA has previously been purported as the ANC’s preferred candidate for the position of mayor.
However, a report by the ANC Nelson Mandela regional working committee (RWC) — dated April 25 — suggests that while there had been an agreement within the party to offer the position of mayor to the NA, the party’s provincial executive committee (PEC) has not yet finalised the allocation of positions.
The report states that PEC officials had instructed ANC councillors to sign a petition that seeks to oust the current coalition government, but indicated that no desperation should be shown as the party’s position on Section 12 of the Municipal Structures Act still stands.
“It was agreed on mayorship to be given to NA since it was reported that some of the duties will be delegated to the deputy mayor,” reads the report.
It also states that PEC officials indicated the importance of earmarking the municipal public accounts committee (MPAC) portfolio, whether they decide to take up mayorship or not, along with the economic development department due to huge investments coming to the city.
“The PEC officials gave a directive that nothing must be concluded as more work has to be done on the allocation of positions.
“A meeting with the NA should be held to resolve on the issue of the mayor,” the report reads.
The EFF filed a petition earlier this month calling for the removal of Odendaal, deputy mayor Khusta Jack, speaker Gary van Niekerk and chief whip Bill Harington.
The petition was signed by the two NA councillors — Van Niekerk and Stag Mitchell — as well as the ANC (48 seats), EFF (8), PAC (1), AIC (1) and Patriotic Alliance (2).
The parties want Odendaal out due to his alleged failure to act against Jack after an auditor-general’s report implicated two companies associated with him in business dealings with the metro
The petition was preceded by GOOD councillor Lawrence Troon’s notice of intention to remove Van Niekerk as speaker, accusing him of using state vehicles without the necessary approvals in place.
The petition and motion are expected to be tabled at a council meeting on May 8.
The ANC met the NA on Wednesday as part of continued negotiations for the formation of a new government.
ANC provincial secretary Lulama Ngcukaitobi said the main agreement that formed part of their meeting was the removal of the DA-led coalition.
“What we offered the NA is a clean, effective and efficient governance that will focus on services, particularly in black people’s areas and the northern areas, and the commitment to the transformation of that area [northern areas] particularly about housing development, electricity and infrastructural upgrades and to fight against fraud and theft.”
Ngcukaitobi said they were almost at the final stages to seal the agreement between the ANC and NA about the mayorship post and the general delegation of powers.
“We are keen to take critical positions in the troika [mayor, speaker and chief whip] and key service delivery departments.”
Van Niekerk said there were no changes in anything the ANC and NA had agreed upon.
“I know that nationally the ANC and EFF have agreed that they won’t take up mayorship and that’s what the provincial leadership of the ANC has guaranteed all parties involved.”
He said the recent engagements with the ANC had nothing to do with positions and such issues would be finalised by next week.
Van Niekerk said that even if they were not offered the mayoral position, they won’t backtrack from leaving the current coalition because they made the decision based on principle.
“I’ve never asked to be mayor in the ANC coalition, it came to light when Patriotic Alliance president Gayton Mackenzie publicly endorsed me for the position.”
He said they took the position [to leave] the coalition because they were being crippled by the DA.
“We are of the view that this was not best for our constituency which is the northern areas because when we formed a government after the 2021 local government elections, we indicated that we wanted a service delivery portfolio.”
Van Niekerk said after the petition was filed, he learnt that he was to be offered a service delivery portfolio but that had not been formally communicated to him.
HeraldLIVE