Tension between Trollip and Bobani threatens to collapse PE coalition

DA leader Mmusi Maimane and his United Democratic Movement counterpart, Bantu Holomisa, had to intervene to quell tension between Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Athol Trollip and his deputy, Mongameli Bobani, that threatened to collapse the coalition government in the metro.

The Sunday Times has learnt that Trollip and Bobani were last month summoned to a meeting in Cape Town where they were scolded by Maimane and Holomisa for publicly clashing over the appointment of top city officials.

The meeting was convened after Trollip wrote a letter to Maimane and Holomisa to express his frustrations with Bobani's "personal reservations" about the appointment of two senior city officials, city manager Johann Mettler and acting executive director of corporate services Vuyo Zitumane.

Bobani claimed that Mettler's appointment in December had been irregular as it was not validated by Eastern Cape co-operative governance MEC Fikile Xasa of the ANC. He also opposed the extension of Zitumane's contract by two months.

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The battles have been settled following the intervention by Maimane and Holomisa as well as the attainment of an independent legal opinion that said the municipality did not need the approval of the MEC before making the appointment .    

Holomisa confirmed on Friday that the national leaders had intervened to "strengthen" the coalition government.

"We ... resolved to write to Xasa and ask him what is his issue with the appointment of the city manager. This is an ANC mess we are trying to fix there. Xasa thought he was taking chances but the coalition is strong," Holomisa said.

But Xasa's spokesman, Mamnkeli Ngam, said: "Mr Holomisa is just playing politics."

Trollip said the differences between him and Bobani had been settled and the appointments had been approved by the council.

"We had a full house council meeting and all the other parties voted for this item except for the ANC. With the city manager appointment, MEC Xasa seems to think that the composition of our panel was irregular.

"I wrote back to him to say we are not going to re-advertise the position. We effectively have a stand-off between me and the MEC. I have also written to the premier about this," Trollip said.

Maimane said the ANC "must just go on a course on local government".