IN CHAINS: New Cape Town mayor Helen Zille holds forth on Wednesday after the dramatic vote that won her the job, as interim deputy mayor Andrew Arnolds looks on. Pic: Ambrose Peters. 15/03/06. © SUNDAY TIMES.

With all the infighting and factionalism that had become so much a part of the ruling ANC, the ANC should be concerned at the prospect of losing the one metro in its heartland.

The great unknown factor in the DA possibly taking control of Nelson Mandela Bay is the Congress of the People (Cope) and whether it is capable of attracting the kind of support required to pave the way for a DA-led coalition.

We believe it is not possible to gauge the strength of Cope’s support, because many people would not at present be willing to identify openly with the party and surveys ahead of the 20100 poll are therefore likely to be misleading.

While we would not profess support for any political party, we do believe it to be in the interests of strengthening democracy in this country that a situation exists where it is possible for power to change hands, as it has in Cape Town and, in April this year, the Western Cape. Wherever this is possible, the ruling party is likely to strive to fulfil its election mandate with far greater vigour and to be more accountable than would be the case if it was assured of victory.

In Nelson Mandela Bay we have witnessed a growing tendency to ignore the rights of the people of the city to accountable and transparent government, most recently with the decision to place an item dealing with the termination of a security contract for the Port Elizabeth CDB and Richmond Hill on green paper so it is discussed behind closed doors. If the ruling party was conscious it might lose power at the next election, it might be far less likely to treat the rights of its citizens with this kind of contempt for fear of alienating any part of its constituency.

That would be particularly true if the loss was suffered in its Eastern Cape heartland and in a municipality named after an international icon rather than in a city and a province that is often dismissed, incorrectly, as not being part of the African continent.

• Tax must benefit business

WHILE we have no objection in principle to the possible introduction of a local business tax (LBT) in Nelson Mandela Bay and other cities in the country, we are concerned that business must benefit as a result and that revenue raised will not simply end up in the municipal bottomless pit.

The city’s budget and treasury committee last week gave its approval for chief financial officer Kevin Jacoby to continue negotiations with other local authorities on the introduction of an LBT that it is estimated will raise R500-million for the municipality.

The revenue should be employed to benefit existing business and attract new investment – so that jobs are created, on the one hand, and the municipality collects additional rates and service charges on the other, both from the new business and those who are now working.The city would therefore be better able to meet its obligations to the people of Nelson Mandela Bay.

The key obviously lies with intense dialogue between the municipality and the business community, so that the imposition of the tax is not seen as being a further burden on commerce and industry, but something that enhances the environment in which they operate.

It will also be important to ensure the National Treasury does not regard the tax simply as revenue for local authorities and therefore reduce the equitable share as a result.