PORT ELIZABETH - POST ELECTIONS 2016 AND THE BATTLE FOR NELSON MANDELA BAY METRO CONTINUES

The Eastern Cape's Nelson Mandela Bay Metro is still up for grabs and political parties are looking for alliances to form a coalition government.

The bigger parties such as the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA), who both failed to secure a majority of council seats, are negotiating with prospective alliance partners.

The DA has been allocated 57 seats and only needs 4 more seats to take the metro, with the ANC only taking 50 and needing eleven seats to take control. However, some of the smaller parties have formed their own pacts.

The ANC's Mayoral candidate for Nelson Mandela Bay, Danny Jordaan, spoke to the media for the first time since the announcement of the municipal elections results two weeks ago.

Jordaan says coalition talks with other parties have begun in earnest. He says, “It is for this reason the ANC appreciates the co-operation of other political parties to form a coalition government. These talks are currently underway and are at a very sensitive stage. We will communicate with the media and public by Wednesday.”

The Patriotic Alliance, Congress of the People and the United Front have formed a block because they want to enter into the coalition talks with one united voice.

Economic Freedom Fighter’s (EFF) National Chairperson, Dali Mpofu, has distanced his organisation from the small parties' alliance.

Mpofu says, “We are aware of the coalition block that was announced yesterday, but the EFF is certainly not part to any such block.”

Speculation is rife that the DA has secured the support of the United Democratic Movement (UDM) and the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), but the party's Federal Executive Chairman, James Selfe, says nothing has been finalised.

Meanwhile, due to this deadlock in the Nelson Mandela Metro, the power has been vested in the Acting Municipal Manager, Johann Mettler.

VIA - sabc.co.za