The political deadlock in Nelson Mandela Bay is set to shift to coalition negotiations after the DA emerged as the largest party, but failed to secure an outright majority.
The provisional local government election result ends an anxious wait that began on Wednesday, as parties and residents watched the count unfold across the metro over the last few days.
The closely watched race saw the lead shift as results trickled in from voting stations, with the provisional outcome leaving the DA ahead.
The DA secured 44.17% of the vote for 53 seats in the 120-seat council.
The ANC received 25.48% of the vote and 32 seats, making it the metro's second-largest party.
This represents a decline from the 2021 local government elections, when it won 48 seats.
The EFF received 5.55% of the vote and seven seats.
Other parties that secured seats include:
- SACP (4);
- PA (4);
- FF+ (3);
- UDM (3);
- Mayibuye Civic Movement (2);
- ActionSA (2);
- MK Party (2);
- ACDP (1);
- Mayibuye (1);
- ATM (1);
- PAC (1).
- United Progressive People Alliance (1);
- AIC (1);
- Democratic Movement (1); and
- National Alliance (1).
DA mayoral candidate Retief Odendaal warned that the city faces defaulting on its bulk electricity payments unless it addresses a R1.7bn revenue shortfall in its electricity department.
He was speaking as votes continued to be counted earlier on Friday.
Odendaal outlined what he believes should be the priorities of a new administration if the DA secures the support needed to govern the metro.
He identified stabilising the municipality's finances, tackling alleged corruption and overhauling its dysfunctional administration as immediate priorities.
Odendaal said that if the DA secured a coalition, he would overhaul the municipality's administration and fill all vacant executive director positions within 100 days.
“We have a city administration that's dysfunctional because it hasn't had top-tier management," he said.
He said he would move almost immediately to advertise the city manager position and bring in expertise from National Treasury to help overhaul the supply chain management system.
"I'm sorry, but I will clamp down on things that are unnecessary expenditures.
"Rental of vehicles for politicians, travelling, catering, all of those things that make no sense.
"Every single cent needs to be saved so that we can invest it in infrastructure so that we can get basic services.
Odendaal pledged to tackle basic service delivery failures, including broken streetlights, water leaks and sewer blockages, while clamping down on unnecessary expenditure such as vehicle rentals for politicians, travel and catering.
"I need to overhaul the entire supply chain, but at the same time look at current contracts that have not been awarded.
“We can't continue running the city by deviation.”
On alleged corruption in payments to service providers, he said: “I believe that there's corruption there, that people [officials] are expecting money in return to facilitate payment.”
The Herald