ANC shows some fancy footwork in Nelson Mandela Bay

19 May 2015 - 02:01 By The Times Editorial

The decision by the ANC to appoint Danny Jordaan as mayor of the Nelson Mandela Bay metro, in Eastern Cape, is a political masterstroke. The question is, will the appointment be enough to stop Port Elizabeth from falling to the opposition - or at least a coalition of opposition political parties - in next year's local government elections.As the chief organiser of the 2010 soccer World Cup, and before that as a tireless campaigner for bringing the tournament to this country, Jordaan has a reputation, locally and abroad, as a top-notch administrator. His ascent to the pinnacle of the SA Football Association would also have equipped him with the political nous to run a metro - even one such as Nelson Mandela Bay under the ANC, which has long been beset by factional politics, corruption scandals and poor service delivery.Jordaan, who was born in Port Elizabeth, has a history of involvement in local politics: he founded the Port Elizabeth North Civic Organisation in the 1980s and was later chairman of the ANC in the city before serving as an MP from 1994-1997.But even a man of Jordaan's credentials faces a Herculean task in Nelson Mandela Bay.The ANC's once formidable majority in the metro has been frittered away by infighting, graft and a dismal record of delivering services to the community. The party won the metro in the 2006 local elections by a majority of 67%. In last year's national election it managed to secure only 47% of the vote.By contrast, the DA's star has been rising in Port Elizabeth, with the party's support growing from 24% in 2006 to 40% in the 2011 municipal poll. Jordaan will be coming up against the experienced Atholl Trollip, whom the DA has named as its mayoral candidate.In coming months the ANC's national leadership is likely to focus on other metros, such as Johannesburg and Tshwane, where the DA and Economic Freedom Fighters have been putting in a strong showing.If this means better service delivery, then long-suffering ratepayers can only benefit...

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