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Port Elizabeth - Danny Jordaan's promise to focus on alleged corruption in the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro has reportedly caused concern among high-ranking municipal officials, a source has told Netwerk24.
The ANC announced on May 18 that Jordaan had been selected to take over as mayor of the metro, replacing 83-year-old Benson Fihla. Jordaan will be formally elected to the position at a special council meeting on Thursday.
In an interview with the SABC last week, Jordaan undertook to pay urgent attention to forensic reports in the metro. This includes the Kabuso and Pikoli reports on alleged mismanagement and unlawful expenditure relating to the integrated public transport system. Although the reports were announced in 2014, no action has been taken against any of the officials named in the reports.
The source told Netwerk24 this is one of the reasons some ANC councillors will not support Jordaan.
They are also apparently worried they will not be able to involve him in their machinations. However, the source said Jordaan is a strong brand on his own, and this brand cannot be violated. Jordaan also has a lot of support in the council.
There are however doubts that Jordaan will get enough support to take the mayoral position, but he is likely to be the only candidate as the Democratic Alliance has yet to name a candidate.
The DA caucus leader in the metro, Retief Odendaal, said the party is still not sure it wants to take this step, and get involved in ANC in-fighting.
City Press reported over the weekend that some ANC councillors are planning to sabotage Jordaan's election in protest at their national leadership’s “imposition” of him.
Sources in the regional ANC – including three councillors and three leaders with close knowledge of moves to “block” Jordaan from becoming mayor – told City Press that the plan will be set in motion at the special council meeting.
The group's plan reportedly involves depriving the ANC of the numbers it needs to elect Jordaan, as it has a slim majority of only five councillors, and encouraging the DA to field a candidate.
