- Nelson Mandela Bay metro Mayor Nqaba Bhanga said the criminal case opened against him was motivated by opposition politics.
- Bhanga was criticised after the municipality demolished much-loved beach braai stands to deter beachgoers and prevent the spread of Covid-19.
- On Wednesday, Patriotic Alliance councillor Marlon Daniels opened a case of malicious damage to property against Bhanga.
Under-fire Nelson Mandela Bay metro Mayor Nqaba Bhanga has described the criminal case opened against him – after the municipality bulldozed a row of beach braai stands to chase off beachgoers – as the work of opposition politics.
Bhanga made the statement a day after Patriotic Alliance (PA) councillor Marlon Daniels opened a case of malicious damage to municipal property at Humewood police station against Bhanga on Wednesday.
Daniels opened the case after the much-loved concrete braai spots at the Marine Drive recreational park were bulldozed in an effort to break up large gatherings and prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Daniels said the decision to demolish the facility was taken without council approval and was therefore illegal.
Bhanga had previously defended the move, saying it was done to save lives and also claimed that the driver of the bulldozer improvised by knocking down the stands.
He said he took a decision with the metro's coronavirus command council to close the facility by flooding the entrance with rocks to prevent people from gathering and to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Not above the laws of the country
Bhanga said when the bulldozer driver saw that the plan would not work, he destroyed already ailing stands and used that material to block the entrance to the park.
The move sparked public outrage from political parties, the business community and residents.
Responding to detailed questions from News24 on Thursday, Bhanga said: "Good for him [Daniels]. That is the work of the opposition I welcome."
The Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber described the move as vandalism, with its CEO Nomkhitha Mona saying someone from that meeting should have opposed the decision.
Bhanga downplayed the demolition, saying the City was planning to give the recreational park a facelift anyway, because the facility was not suitable to host people and that it had no ablution facilities.
Shortly after opening the case, Daniels told News24 that he wanted to show the DA and Bhanga that they were not above the laws of the country.
No council meeting called
Daniels said if ever a decision needed to be taken to demolish municipal property, such a decision should be taken in council where lawmakers gathered.
He said there was no council meeting called, nor a resolution passed to demolish municipal property.
He said Bhanga should be brought before a court of law to answer or be held liable for fruitless and wasteful expenditure.
He said taxpayers' money was used to build the recreational facility, which had now been demolished.
Daniels also claimed some of the coalition partners of the DA told him that they were not consulted in the decision.
The ANC in the region said the DA government had made a mockery of the people of Nelson Mandela Bay metro.
Daniels also claimed that the demolition was meant to get rid of people of colour who had been using the facility, which is situated in a predominantly "white" ward ruled by the DA.