GARETH VAN ONSELEN: Timeline of a Nelson Mandela Bay meltdown
‘It is difficult to say whether the NMB coalition itself is at risk but their relationship is spiralling for all the wrong reasons’
The relationship between Nelson Mandela Bay’s (NMB’s) coalition leaders DA executive mayor Athol Trollip and United Democratic Movement (UDM) deputy executive mayor Mongameli Bobani has deteriorated exponentially over the past six months. It is difficult to say whether the coalition is at risk, or whether this conflict concerns only these two personalities but, one way or the other, their relationship is spiralling for all the wrong reasons. It is generating a raft of bad press and detracting from the metro’s ability to communicate on service delivery. It is difficult to tell from the public record all the contributing factors. Unlike Bobani, Trollip is extremely disciplined at not commenting in public. It is to his credit, and is a far more mature way to handle disagreement. If he has contributed in any detrimental way, it is almost impossible to determine that from what is reported in the press.It is, however, possible to determine certain things from Bobani’s many and various ass...
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