Nelson Mandela Bay council speaker Buyelwa Mafaya survived an attempt to remove her on Tuesday after the coalition government failed to show up at the meeting it had called to replace her.

Mafaya, who started the meeting at exactly 10am, announced after having confirmed the meeting did not have a quorum that she had received a message from DA councillor Morne Steyn that he had been directed by mayor Nqaba Bhanga that they would no longer be attending the meeting.

“We're here for a petitioned meeting wherein they petitioned to remove the speaker and the election of chief whip of council.

“However, just before 9am the DA through councillor Morne Steyn indicating he'd been directed by the executive mayor they'll no longer be coming to the meeting.

“The petitioners have run away. I've honoured their petition. Acting city manager [Mandla George], you led the arrangements of the meeting. I want to put it clear that the DA will be liable for all costs incurred today,” Mafaya said.

The DA, AIC, UF, Cope, ACDP and UDM submitted a petition to Mafaya’s office in January for the meeting.

The meeting was also meant to elect a new chief whip. The position has been vacant since the death of ANC chief whip Bicks Ndoni in January 2020.

The Herald understands that the coalition was unable to decide on who to elect for the two positions after a meeting on Monday night.

Continuing, Mafaya said there would be no further petitions to her office calling for her removal.

“Surely, there will be no more petitions directed to the speaker's office to remove the speaker because they played me,” she said.

“Today, they [the coalition] chose to disrespect the council by not showing up.”

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