By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has welcomed the decision of the Gqeberha High Court to grant an order confirming that Mayor Retief Odendaal, his mayoral committee and the multiparty coalition remain in government in Nelson Mandela Bay.
This suspends the implementation of a Section 12 amendment in Nelson Mandela Bay that would change the system of governance from a mayoral executive to a collective executive system.
The amendment’s goal was to change the Mayoral executive system in Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) and was Gazetted by the MEC of Traditional Affairs Zolile Williams, earlier this month.
The two parties, however, reached an interim agreement to suspend the amendment pending a legal review.
It, therefore, means that Odendaal and his Mayoral Committee are back at work.
“I am pleased by the decision by the Gqeberha High Court to grant an order confirming that the Mayoral Committee and I, and by implication, the multi-party coalition government, remains in Government remains in government in Nelson Mandela Bay,” said Odendaal.
This order suspends the implementation of the Section 12 amendment until “Part-A” of the section will be heard in February next year.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson for the Coalition Government, Bill Harington says they are of the opinion that the second leg of the interdict, which will later be heard again before the court, will also be beneficial so that the coalition government can continue to govern the Metro and offer service delivery to the residents of the Metro.
He says the second part will deal with the merits and institution of the section 12 announcement of the MEC.