The ANC run Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s (NMBM) appointment of SAFA Boss, Danny Jordaan, as its new mayor has been met with mixed reaction from the City’s residents and opposition parties.
Danny Jordaan was controversially elected on 28 May in a council election that was boycotted by the opposition.
They cited electoral irregularities and the little time they were given to prepare their own candidates as the reasons for their boycott.
Retief Odendaal, caucus leader of the Democratic Alliance said the metro deserves a better mayor than Danny Jordaan.
“The metro needs a full-time mayor with no additional business interests. Corruption, maladministration and general lack of service delivery in NMBM will not be solved easily.” He continued, “Mr. Jordaan has no experience in local government and he shall soon realize that he shall receive little to no support from provincial government.”
The United Democratic Movement, UDM, urged him to resign and clear the way for a more charismatic and transparent candidate.
Mongameli Bobbin, UDM councillor, said, “People are suffering under the leadership of the ANC hence corruption is too high in this municipality. Dr Jordaan will therefore not bring or improve anything.”
He said the FIFA corruption and bribery investigation could distract Jordaan’s energy and time to the detriment of the people of NMBM.
He elaborated, “We are calling on him to resign now that there is this FIFA saga. His resignation is good for the City because these are serious allegations.”
Meanwhile Kwezi Ntshanyana of COPE has a different view on Jordaan’s problems with FIFA.
“As Cope we regard Danny Jordaan as one of the respected South Africans with impeccable credentials. But he has unfortunately boarded a sinking ship and it will inevitably sink with him,” he said.
ANC Eastern Cape secretary Oscar Mabuyane rubbished demands for Jordaan’s resignation by the opposition.
He dismissed the opposition as making irrelevant noise. “We don’t think he owes Nelson Mandela Bay people anything on that. He has spoken about the matter and said the $10 million was for the Diaspora Legacy Fund,” he said.
Meanwhile it was business as usual for Danny when he laid down the rule on 4 June at the Uitenhage Indoor Sports Centre.
“Our streets are dirty. There is rubbish everywhere. I would like to reassure the residents of the metro that service delivery and the metro’s core business will be achieved,” he said.
NMBM has had 4 mayors in one term. Over 25% of its operating budget is spent on salaries. According to the latest Statistics SA Quarterly Labour Force Survey, unemployment in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro is sitting at 33.1%.
Many feel that Danny Jordaan was parachuted in to improve the ANC’s chances of retaining control of the metro with the forthcoming local government elections in 2016.
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