Africa-Press – South-Africa. Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Babalwa Lobishe has issued a gag order on her MMCs, instructing that media inquiries go through her office as the “official spokesperson” of the municipality.
In the correspondence sent to MMCs on Monday, Lobishe told them she had taken the decision to ensure there was no contradictory messaging going to the media and public.
“As mayco, we each play a pivotal role in advancing the collective vision and strategic priorities of the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality. In line with this collective leadership, it’s important that our communication to the public, media and stakeholders reflects one clear, united and consistent message.
“In my capacity as mayor and in accordance with established governance protocols, [I] serve as the chief spokesperson of the municipality,” Lobishe wrote.
The ANC governs in the coalition with the EFF, DOP, UDM, NA, AIC, PAC and AIM.
Lobishe said as the spokesperson of the city, she was responsible for safeguarding the institutional voice of the council and ensuring the metro’s public communication was accurate, co-ordinated and aligned with their shared agenda.
“To this end, we are implementing a streamlined communication and media management process that will [ensure] official media engagements, press briefings and public statements issued on behalf of the municipality are centralised through the office of the mayor,” she said.
According to Lobishe, the process was intended to ensure message coherence across mayoral committee portfolios, prevent mixed or contradictory messaging in the public domain and enhance public trust and confidence through clear, co-ordinated leadership communication.
Lobishe said media briefings and interviews had to be approved and co-ordinated through her office.
Media statements, including from MMCs, had to be submitted to her office for review and alignment before release and inquiries received directly by MMCs should be redirected to the office of the mayor for a co-ordinated response.
Lobishe said public engagements with a media presence must be communicated in advance to her office to ensure alignment and support.
DOP leader Ruphus Mphahlele said as a party with its own mandate they would not be told what to do.
“That partisan mayor is not well upstairs,” Mphahlele said. “We did not agree on this, let alone being told about it. Unfortunately for her, we won’t be dictated to on what to do or say.
“As members of the government of local unity [GLU] we come from different parties which have their own mandates given to its councillors. It’s not going to happen, we don’t take instructions from her.”
NA leader Gary van Niekerk said MMCs were not happy with the decision.
“The feeling from other members is the matter should’ve been discussed in the GLU which it wasn’t. I have called for calm and requested that we discuss this in the GLU and we are meeting tomorrow [Tuesday] for this purpose.”
AIC councillor Thsonono Buyeye declined to comment, saying the matter was still being discussed internally.
UDM councillor Luxolo Namette said it was strange for Lobishe to take the decision unilaterally without consulting members of the GLU.
“As a party we feel as though the mayor is trying to kill the identity of the individual parties represented in the GLU. We are not an extension of the ANC and therefore we should be consulted before such decisions are taken,” he said.
“Members have called for a GLU meeting but there’s no confirmation yet if it will convene.”
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