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State capture in Nelson Mandela Bay under mayor Gary van Niekerk and his corrupt and inept coalition of corruption government, has reached new heights with a blatant refusal to implement directives from the Minister of Finance regarding the Mandela Bay Development Agency (MBDA)

More than three months have passed since the Nelson Mandela Bay Council decided to dissolve the board of the MBDA and court proceedings were instituted to set aside the appointment of its CEO Anele Qaba. Despite this, these individuals refuse to vacate their positions and continue to make unlawful decisions on behalf of the MBDA.

This flies in the face of a directive from the Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, ordering that the board be dissolved and Qaba removed before releasing the city's equitable share funds that had been withheld by the National Treasury.

I will be writing to Minister Godongwana to request that he acts urgently to prevent full and final state capture by this coalition of corruption, even if that means that he approaches the courts or launches an intergovernmental dispute.

Van Niekerk and his corrupt ANC/EFF/NA/PA coalition are wilfully ignoring the minister and now wants Council to reconsider its decision to remove Qaba and dissolve the board while the matter is before the courts.

In a recent letter to the minister Van Niekerk requests Godongwana to allow him to make decisions on behalf of the MBDA. He also writes that he has been advised to inform Council to rescind its decision taken to review Qaba’s appointment and to dissolve the board.

This is the essence of state capture and a desire to hide nefarious activities.

While the DA is sympathetic to the professional staff at the MBDA, the capture of the Metro must be stopped.

The residents of Nelson Mandela Bay are tired of a government that allows state capture and corruption to reign supreme to line the pockets of connected individuals.

It is time to place the needs of the residents first and rescue Nelson Mandela Bay.

Issued by Andrew Whitfield MP - DA EC Provincial Leader