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The UDM’s Mongameli Bobani should focus his efforts on answering for his poor track record and alleged acts of corruption instead of commenting on matters he has no idea about. It is clear he is trying to find relevance by using the good name of the Democratic Alliance (DA), a party trusted with bettering the lives of approximately 18 million South Africans, including residents of Nelson Mandela Bay.

In 2017 Bobani was, through a vote of no confidence in the municipal council of the Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) Metro removed as deputy mayor. This while he was still at the centre of an investigation into corruption in the Metro. A draft report by PwC into allegations against Bobani will soon be finalised and reports will be tabled in council with that of the municipal public accounts committee (MPAC). Like most people implicated in acts of corruption Bobani played victim.

The DA’s proven track record of good and clean governance is what the people of NMB voted for and we will continue delivering quality services, creating job opportunities and stopping corruption, in the face of the musing of our detractors.

It is worth mentioning that Bobani’s name appears no less than 9 times in the book “How to steal a City” by Chippy Olver in which he is accused of serious misconduct – serious allegations he has yet to defend in a court of law or other public forum. Olver states Bobani attempted to defend former executive director of corporate services, Mod Ndoyana, on tendering irregularities. Everyone except for the UDM voted for a motion to charge Ndoyana, who was later dismissed from his position.

Olver also states Bobani claimed that there was a witch-hunt against black officials and writes that he was staggered by Bobani’s brazen attempt to defend seriously compromised officials.

Bobani is pre-occupied with personal gratification and self-enrichment.

Instead of using the media to expel incoherent rants, he should be advised to start preparing for his defence because the net will soon be closing in on him and those who involved themselves in Bobani’s alleged misdeeds.

Furthermore, despite promising to challenge his removal in the courts after he initially lost an earlier bid with costs, the DA is yet to be served with papers.

This DA-led coalition government is committed to creating a better living environment for all by being accountable and responding effectively and in good time to the concerns of residents.

Under the leadership of Executive Mayor Athol Trollip, it is clear that the coalition government is dedicated to turning the Metro into a well-run city where the people come first.

In little more than a year, we have managed to:

• Connect 12 000 residents to running water and toilets for the first time
• Create 8 000 much-needed Expanded Public Works (EPWP) job opportunities by the end of the financial year
• Make NMB safer by introducing a Metro Police
• Recover millions of rand from and freezing of corrupt contracts
• Stabilise the administration by appointing executive directors

We have a lot to do on the road to 2019, where we will usher in a new beginning for South Africa, therefore we cannot afford to let politics cloud our mission of building a better and post-ANC South Africa.

Issued by DA