City Press is reporting that the DA might turn against Nelson Mandela Bay metro Mayor Athol Trollip.
Trollip has been at the centre of controversy, with the EFF wanting him to be axed.
However, he survived a motion of no confidence this week, when council proceedings collapsed in chaos. But he may in be for a major surprise when the council reconvenes in 14 days to debate and votes on the motion.
According to the newspaper, DA councillors are unhappy with Trollip's deal with minority party Patriotic Alliance (PA), which might lead to them voting against him.
As a trade-off to help keep Trollip in his position, the PA has been offered a spot as member of the mayoral committee (MMC) for roads and transport and may be offered the deputy mayor position as well.
While a DA councillor Rano Kayser, currently MMC in the roads and transport portfolio, would be sacrificed to make way for the PA's Marlon Daniels, according to an agreement both parties signed on Wednesday.
However, Kayser said he was not pushed from the position. "I volunteered to save the party and retain the status quo. Serving the people is more important to me."
DA councillors unhappy at Kayser's axing threatened to retaliate.
"We want a secret ballot, so we don't become victimised," they said. They asked not to be named. They were worried that Trollip had not been taking the coloured community in Port Elizabeth seriously for a while now.
"We made his kingdom and now he is playing us. We've had one representative on his 'important councillors' list' for almost two years now," they said.
"We are the ones that gave him the vote that made the difference, with our hard work. We now see that coloureds are only good for the numbers game and benefits do not suit us."
"He could have removed his sister's son, Andrew Whitfield, to make way for the PA."
The DA came to power in Nelson Mandela Bay after the August 2016 local government elections, with the help of the African Christian Democratic Party, Congress of the People and the United Democratic Movement. Now it's the PA's turn.