Maimane rejects UDM’s ultimatum

DA leader Mmusi Maimane has refused to accede to the UDM’s ultimatum to reinstate Nelson Mandela Bay deputy mayor Mongameli Bobani by Monday.

The UDM has threatened to pull out of its coalition with the DA if it does not meet this demand.

The DA said it would support any other UDM nominee to serve on the mayoral committee‚ Maimane said in a letter late on Thursday.

He was responding to a letter written by UDM president Bantu Holomisa to the national leaders of the ACDP‚ COPE‚ DA and FF Plus earlier on Thursday evening.

In his letter‚ Holomisa wrote:“Deputy Mayor Bobani was irregularly removed from his post. In light of the DA’s stance‚ we have no option but to inform you that the decision of the UDM’s [national executive committee] must be put into immediate effect.

“In other words‚ if Bobani is not reinstated to his position by the 28th of August‚ the UDM will pull out.”

Maimane replied that Bobani’s removal was “no cause for celebration for me” or any of the partners in the coalition.

“The firing of councillor Bobani through a motion of no confidence is the painful end to a matter that has drawn out for nearly twelve months.

“However‚ we have no doubt that it was the right thing to do for the residents of Nelson Mandela Bay‚” Maimane said.

He added that the situation between Bobani and coalition partners DA‚ ACDP and COPE had become untenable for some time‚ and yet the UDM still “still consistently failed to remove and replace him”.

“Your ultimatum seeks to hold our co-government agreement to ransom. It requests for us to maintain the status quo despite evidence of corruption‚ and despite the councillor Bobani flagrantly voting against the coalition.

“If you decide to go through with your ultimatum and collapse the government‚ then it will fall to you to explain to the voters of Nelson Mandela Bay and the people of South Africa‚” Maimane wrote.

The EFF has‚ meanwhile‚ labelled the removal of Bobani by the DA‚ ACDP‚ COPE and Patriotic Alliance (PA) as arrogant and “pure bullying by the DA”.

In a statement‚ EFF national spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said the move showed that the DA did not appreciate the concept of power and that they had to share it in order to govern.

“As a result of this behaviour in Nelson Mandela‚ the EFF will not be voting with the DA on any issue in Nelson Mandela metro until they radically change their attitude towards other coalition partners belonging to smaller parties.

“Although the EFF is not in any coalition or cooperation with the DA‚ we view their behaviour as a threat to coalition politics that can remove the corrupt ANC out of power even in the future‚” Ndlozi said.

“Above all‚ we warn them that their behaviour in Nelson Mandela [Bay] will affect all other municipalities where they rely on opposition parties in order to govern - in particular Tshwane and Johannesburg‚” Ndlozi said.

He added that the DA should watch that it does not become the ANC dressed in blue colours.

- HeraldLIVE