The National Alliance (NA) in Nelson Mandela Bay has expelled the mayor, Gary van Niekerk.

Niekerk is being accused of mismanaging the town, alongside NA councilor John Mitchell who has also been expelled. 

As a result, Noxolo Nqwazi, who is the city manager, has written a letter to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), seeking to declare their seats vacant. 

The city manager wrote a letter to IEC after receiving instructions about the same from the party’s president Japie Jansen.

Jansen had informed Nqwazi that Van Niekerk and Mitchell failed to appear for a hearing before the disciplinary committee last weekend. 

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According to the disciplinary committee, Van Niekerk had gone against the NA constitution by signing petitions without the party’s approval. 

The mayor was also accused of making unconfirmed claims about other senior party officials during a press briefing. 

On the other hand, the mayor rubbished the expulsion, adding that it was initiated by a faction of the party that lacks the mandate to suspend or expel him.

He told News24 that the meeting that declared his suspension was not legally constituted.

“I have not been suspended. I am not gone. I am still the mayor,” said Van Niekerk.

The mayor has also filed a petition at the Eastern Cape High Court in Gqeberha to bar IEC from declaring his seat vacant. 

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He had informed the court about the urgency of his application, adding that he needed a response by October 11. 

A similar attempt to expel Van Niekerk and Mitchell from the party was attempted in March 2022 when their positions were declared vacant due to alleged infighting. 

The two were reinstated to their positions a few months later after taking the matter to court.