Opposition parties were blindsided by the DA and its coalition partners yesterday after they rammed through a vote to remove Mongameli Bobani as Nelson Mandela Bay deputy mayor‚ HeraldLIVE reported.

The move has prompted UDM president Bantu Holomisa to issue an ultimatum to the DA – reinstate Bobani by Monday or his party will pull out of the coalition.

The UDM is in partnership with the DA to also help govern the City of Johannesburg.

In a letter sent to the national leaders of the ACDP‚ COPE‚ DA and FF Plus last night‚ Holomisa said: “Deputy mayor Bobani was irregularly removed from his post.

“In light of the DA’s stance‚ we have no option but to inform you that the decision of the UDM’s [national executive committee] must be put into immediate effect.

“In other words‚ if Bobani is not reinstated to his position by the 28th of August‚ the UDM will pull out.”

The motion to remove Bobani was tabled yesterday by Patriotic Alliance (PA) councillor Marlon Daniels‚ who described Bobani’s behaviour as erratic in recent months and causing instability in the metro.

The motion was supported by the DA’s Nqaba Bhanga.

It follows months of tension between Bobani and mayor Athol Trollip‚ who have been at loggerheads over how the metro should be governed.

Daniels and his party principals have demanded the deputy mayor position from Trollip as well as the post of political head of safety and security‚ held at present by the DA’s John Best‚ after signing a co-governance agreement with the DA recently.

But the DA refused to say yesterday if it would accede to the PA’s demands‚ saying it would communicate its decision later.