Update: Trollip Might Survive Another Day

The Nelson Mandela Bay metro speaker adjourned the sitting following disruptions from members of opposition parties.
NMB mayor Athol Trollip addresses his supporters in front of the Port Elizabeth city hall on March 28, 2018.
NMB mayor Athol Trollip addresses his supporters in front of the Port Elizabeth city hall on March 28, 2018.
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The debate and vote on a motion of no confidence in Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) mayor Athol Trollip has been left up in the air, after the metro speaker moved to adjourn the special sitting indefinitely.

Quoting caucus rules, NMB speaker Jonathan Lawack said: "In the event of grave disorder, the speaker may adjourn the meeting or suspend proceedings for a period."

He has yet to give a date of when the motion will continue.

The move came after opposition members continuously disrupted the sitting, shouting points of orders over Lawack and on one occasion, breaking into a small scuffle.

Currently, Lawack is in a meeting with local leaders from all political parties to discuss the way forward.

EARLIER

Members of the EFF and United Democratic Movement (UDM) did not agree with the agenda for the special sitting, demanding that a motion on the removal of council speaker Jonathan Lawack be heard before voting on the Trollip no-confidence motion.

Points of order rang out from the opposition benches, as DA members looked on.

Lawack will make an announcement on the way forward at 10am.

The move by the NMB opposition to have Lawack ousted ahead of the vote on Trollip is strategic. If the no-confidence vote ends in a tie, rules dictate that the speaker - who in this case is a DA member - has the deciding vote. Removing Lawack first would rule out that possibility.

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