Are councillors deserting the ANC?
Top ANC officials have apparently approached a senior DA leader in Nelson Mandela Bay saying they want to join the official opposition party.
|||Port Elizabeth - Top ANC officials have apparently approached a senior DA leader in Nelson Mandela Bay saying they want to join the official opposition party after its historic win in the municipality this week.
“The ANC's senior councillors are approaching us, they are calling us saying they were under duress to do wrong things in the municipality,” a DA leader told Independent Media.
He did not want to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the media about “the sensitive matter”.
Some of the ruling party's senior councillors in the metro, he said, had told the DA leadership they would serve the DA loyally should it take them on board.
“They congratulated us on winning the metro. They are happy we have won,” he said.
Trollip recently came under fire from the ANC and city bosses after he reportedly e-mailed a letter to the metro staff assuring them that their jobs would be safe under the DA administration.
“This is fundamental issue, we won't ill-treat anyone,” the DA leader said.
On Wednesday night, the IEC regional supervisor Crosby Bacela said they had captured all the votes onto the system and sent them to their national office for announcement. The DA was leading with 46.55 percent, ANC 41.02 percent and EFF 5.15 percent.
UDM councillor Mongameli Bobani said: “There are talks between the UDM and DA at national level. They are engaging as we wait for the final results to be announced. We are definitely going for a coalition.”
luyolo.mkentane@inl.co.za
@luyolomkentane
Elections Bureau