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‘Frankly speaking, it is painful and disturbing that Nelson Mandela region, the home of the ANC, has been lost,” said Beza Ntshona, a senior ANC provincial leader, after his party’s loss to the DA of the Nelson Mandela Bay metro.
It was one of the most highly contested areas in these elections, with many observers saying that the governing party’s disappointing show had been a long time coming – following years of political infighting and instability, which affected the administration of the area.
Speaking to City Press shortly after the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) confirmed that the ANC had scored 41.67% (50 seats) and were runners-up to the DA’s 47.5% (57 seats), an emotional Ntshona acknowledged that his party in Nelson Mandela Bay was a shadow of its former glorious self.
During the election run-up, the DA shocked many people when it announced that its mayoral candidate in Port Elizabeth – regarded as an ANC stronghold – would be Athol Trollip. Many did not give him a chance.
On Friday the provisional scores were announced by the regional IEC results centre in Zwide township, indicating that the “failed farmer” – as Trollip was called by his ANC counterpart, Danny Jordaan, during the campaign trail – would be the city’s new executive mayor.
In his victory speech, Trollip declared that there would be no purging in the DA administration.
“We will treat every official who is professional, professionally – and those who work hard will be given due recognition and rewards for hard work. You do not have to be a DA member to be rewarded, or promoted.”
The mayor elect added that anybody who would help the DA achieve its manifesto objectives and change people’s lives would be rewarded.
“This is regardless of who you are, what language you speak, what colour you are and what political affiliation.”
But he said: “If you have been irregularly appointed, you cannot work for the municipality. And if you are investigated for corruption, you have to answer for that.”
Addressing his supporters in isiXhosa, Trollip congratulated them for having “removed the thieves from office”: “Siwakhuphile lamasela.”
In the past five years alone, the Bay has had three mayors and three city managers. The ANC brought in SA Football Association boss Jordaan as their trump card and hopeful permanent solution to the Bay’s problems.
Municipal manager Mpilo Mbambisa and a host of his senior managers were placed on suspension and some were fired. Jordaan appointed his own city manager, Johann Mettler.
Ntshona also acknowledged that the DA had succeeded where the ANC failed – by “getting their voters out to register and to vote when it mattered”.
He said the total number of registered voters were concentrated in the former white suburbs and northern areas, known to be DA strongholds.
In contrast, the ANC experienced low voter turnout, which Ntshona blamed on Wednesday’s bitterly cold weather.
Another plus for the DA was their visibility. Trollip had wasted no time in launching his campaign. He hit the trail in September, crisscrossing the Bay, criticising Jordaan at every chance he got and exposing many of the ANC’s service delivery failures – including the use of bucket toilets in some communities; housing issues; unemployment, which currently stands at 36%; and corruption.
He also pushed a message of change should the DA be voted into power.
In a desperate attempt to retain its lead in the Bay metro, the ANC has now embarked on high-level talks “with all small opposition parties”, in a bid to form a coalition government.
Parties have a grace period of 12 days to form a government after results have been declared.
“We are confident that all the parties will want to be persuaded to form a coalition. Now that we know which opposition parties will form part of the council, the ANC will engage them [to secure a majority in council],” Ntshona said.
He said a special team, including national and provincial representatives, was dealing with the talks.
Zilindile Vena, regional secretary of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), said: “We will not deviate from our commitments during our talks with these parties. The core will be our manifesto which was our commitment to the electorate.”
The EFF received 5% of the vote (six seats).
Mongameli Bobani, regional secretary of the United Democratic Movement – which scored 1.6% (two seats) – said the party was keen to form a coalition.
All other small parties – including the African Independent Congress, United Front of the Eastern Cape, Congress of the People, African Christian Democratic Party and the Patriotic Alliance – received 0.83% of the vote and a single seat each.
It was estimated that about 50% of the registered 609 217 voters turned out at the polls.
ANC - 41.67% (50 seats)
DA - 47.50% (57 seats)
