‘Hands off our Mayor!’- Nelson Mandela Bay residents
Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor Retief Odendaal, is set to face a vote of no confidence in a special council meeting on Friday. The motion against him was filed by the EFF and ANC. However is a surprise turn of events, residents of an informal settlement in KwaNobuhle, protested in support of the mayor.
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NMB RESIDENTS SUPPORT ODENDAAL
The angry protesters blockaded a main road with burning tyres as they turned away ANC representatives which included former chief whip of Nelson Mandela Bay Wandisile Jikeka.
The protesters accused the ANC of wanting to loot city funds whereas they have been experiencing service delivery under the new mayor.
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In a report by GroundUp, the residents say since Odendaal’s appointment in January he has delivered 308 chemical toilet which are cleaned every second day, whereas under the ANC, they were cleaned twice a year.
“We are residents and not politicians. Since Odendaal is in a different political party, you now want to appoint someone that you can have control over. To hell with the vote of no confidence – we are the voters”, says a resident Thembela Tiyo.
While another resident says they will fight to keep Odendaal in office.
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“We love Odendaal. And if you want to remove him, then hell will break loose. We are even prepared to fight to the death for Odendaal, because he is delivering services with passion.”
MOTION OF NO CONFIDENCE
The DA’s Eastern Cape leader Andrew Whitfield has called on all residents to make contact with their councillors to voice their opinions ahead of the council meeting on Friday.
Earlier this month, a special council meeting that was set to remove Odendaal through a motion of confidence was cancelled. Odendaal is still challenging the calling of the special council meeting, saying due process was not followed.
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In an interview with ENCA, Odendaal, says the motion to remove him is politically motivated and comes after the suspension of a few officials in the city’s energy department.
