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Gary Agrees to Get Less Money as ANC Mayor Takes Over

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The on again off again saga of just when Gary van Niekerk will be relieved of his duty as Executive Mayor came to a head today as he resigned and the ANC’s Babalwa Lobishe stepped up to the plate.

It is not a definitive goodbye to the smooth one as Gary has assumed the role of Deputy Mayor – so less money, less work and an easy life in the lead up to 2026.

Of course , the DA remains committed to be the robust opposition in NMB, as Cllr Rano Kayser – DA NMB Caucus Leader says:

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Nelson Mandela Bay has reaffirmed our commitment to remain the strong, principled anchor of a robust opposition in the NMB Council, after Gary van Nierkerk resigned as mayor.

We welcome that at today’s council meeting, Van Niekerk’s chaotic and destructive mayoral tenure came to an end when he resigned from his position, and note the election of the ANC’s Babalwa Lobishe as the new mayor. We urge Mayor Lobishe to focus on service delivery and put the residents of Nelson Mandela Bay first.

Van Niekerk and the destructive coalition government he led caused untold suffering, leaving residents to deal with economic collapse, exorbitant water tariffs, numerous water leaks, dark streets, potholes, sewage spills, flood devastation, and an ever-escalating crime rate.

The DA did not put forward a candidate for the position of mayor as we do not have a coalition agreement with any party in the Council. Without an agreement, chaos and instability will always ensue – and there is no better example of this than the Metro’s current ANC/EFF/PA/NA coalition of breakers government.

The DA offered the ANC an opportunity to establish a bi-partisan coalition on the basis that in NMB, multiparty coalitions have not delivered sustainable delivery, good governance and stability. The ANC declined our offer in favour of the status quo.

The ANC provincial leadership has conceded that the current coalition government has failed to deliver services to the people of Nelson Mandela Bay. Simply rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic will not halt the Metro’s further decline.

Despite this, we reaffirm our commitment to the bi-partisan deal we offered the ANC for the sake of the well-being of the residents of NMB.

The DA remains in your corner, fighting for you. Together, we can take Nelson Mandela Bay forward again

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.