Executive Mayor of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality (NMBMM) Athol Trollip, is holding rallies galore and tweets with the abandon of a small-town Donald Trump that he is the best man for the job.

But the facts, evidence and his track-record, clearly show that Trollip is not worthy of trust. The evidence shows that he lives in an alternate universe as he continues to deceive the council for his self-serving political agenda.

Trollip lied to council about his coalition deputy, the United Democratic Movement’s Mongameli Bobani. Trollip misrepresented a secreted draft PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report, warned against by its authors for not complying with generally accepted auditing standards, and adjusted for surmised references to criminality to justify Bobani’s removal.

Even Trollip’s new, and latest BFF, the Patriotic Alliance’s Marlon Daniels, admitted that he had been fooled by Trollip’s lies about Bobani. Only when confronted by evidence, and after being caught out, did Trollip try to justify his malicious misrepresentation. What did Trollip do yet again; he simply lied.

These are the facts:

The Weekend Post, on Saturday (see http://www.heraldlive.co.za/politics/2018/04/07/leaked-report-haunts-trollip/), reported that Trollip appointed PwC to investigate two separate matters: 1) The appointment of, and payments to, litter pickers, and also 2) the contract with Milongani Eco-Consulting. The reports have, however, yet to be tabled in council!

Yet (reports the Weekend Post) the Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane has the reports in his possession. The UDM still finds it rather astonishing that PwC’s “draft report”, dated 21 August 2017, somehow landed in the briefcase of a leader of a political party. Why? The DA has, to date not explained this anomalous occurrence, where a council document is given to a national party leader (for that matter, whether it be the DA or not). The UDM only received a copy, of the so-called draft report, later in August when we demanded it from the DA… and guess what; the draft is silent on Bobani!

In a motion to the council – which is expected to be debated next month – the African National Congress (ANC) also takes issue with the fact that Maimane is in possession of the two confidential council reports.

City manager Johann Mettler responded to questions, from the ANC’s Rory Riordan, that the reports were not formally released to Maimane and that he had not given any authorisation for them to be released. This is laughable; who then gave the report to Maimane?

In reaction, Trollip spoke only to the draft report and tried to wangle himself out of his self-made sinkhole of lies with the following lame story:

“When I received the draft report compiled by PwC from the city manager, I sent them to my party leadership in order that they could get an insight into my concerns and that they should allow access to the respective co-governance leaders for the same reason.”

“It was sent to their party leadership… I certainly did not leak the report to Mr Maimane or the leaders of our coalition partners.

“I report to my party leadership and in a coalition to the coalition partners. When I raised concerns about the issues under councillor Bobani’s stewardship, it was Bantu Holomisa who requested the evidence/ report. When given to him, he said Mr Maimane and I kept it in our briefcases.”

So, I ask again, as I 00have many times; as did the media; as did NMBMM councillors: Where is your proof that Bobani has done anything wrong? If the DA is all about good governance and accountability, there surely should be no reason to keep the reports under lock and key. Something is definitely rotten in the state of Denmark!

It is a fact that Trollip, refused all suggestion of reconciliation for the benefit of service delivery. The champion of baasskap defied and undermined the coalition leaders. He very publicly insulted me for simply asking proof of the wild accusations against Bobani and then him and his leader disparaged the UDM and me personally.

In a show of his true colours, he has crowned his neglect of the people of Nelson Mandela Bay, by leaving for the DA congress without council appointing a caretaker mayor in his absence (whilst he is away on party‑political business).

Trollip clearly justifies his mendacity, now and in the past, by simply restating the facts as and when it is necessary to create a new reality to hide the knavery, just as he did when he lied to the Weekend Post. It baffles the mind that he gets away with this deceit. Does the entire DA (its leaders and members) condone this kind of behaviour, thus deceiving the South Africans who voted for their party?

It is clear that some media houses, especially Media24, has no shame in showing support of the DA. Does the media not have a responsibility to impartially and correctly inform news consumers?

A few days ago, the former Die Burger editor and now political commentator Henry Jeffreys, said that Trollip had struggled to establish an effective and efficient relationship with his deputy, and alienated the Economic Freedom Fighters with his outspoken criticism. Jeffreys went as far as saying that Trollip cannot remain mayor and that the DA must make another plan to manage the NMBMM coalition. This from a former editor of a Media24 newspaper who is a DA supporter!

All councillors, from all political parties, are encouraged to vote with their conscience on the motion of no confidence against Trollip at the council.

Issued by:

Mr Bantu Holomisa, MP

UDM President