By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Retief Odendaal has been removed through a motion of no confidence after 62 councillors voted for his removal.
The motion of no confidence was brought before the council by the EFF during a special council meeting. It was supported by the Northern Alliance, Patriotic Alliance, and the ANC.
On Friday, the meeting was meant to have started at 10:00, but it was moved to noon to wait for the court ruling. It later reconvened at 13:00.
His deputy, Khusta Jack, and council chief whip Bill Harington are due to face similar motions of no confidence at the meeting.
After Odendaal was removed as mayor he was nominated to contest his former position.
He will go up against Northern Alliance councillor Gary van Niekerk who resigned as speaker shortly after he was nominated to contest the mayoral position.
Former mayor Eugene Johnson is the new speaker of the Nelson Mandela Bay council.
Johnson, an ANC councillor, secured 62 of the votes through a secret ballot.
She went up against DA councillor Rano Kayser who managed to secure 51 votes.
The African National Congress (ANC) in the metro said that his removal was welcomed as he failed to prioritise service delivery in townships.
ANC provincial spokesperson, Gift Ngqondi: “Street lights are not working and there are potholes. We hope that the new leadership will make sure that they prioritise these.”