Nelson Mandela Bay Executive Mayor Gary van Niekerk is likely to come out with guns blazing against city manager Noxolo Nqwazi at a council meeting on Friday. The Eastern Cape Division of the High Court, Gqeberha, has issued an interdict to keep him in his position as a councillor and as mayor. In court papers, Van Niekerk indicated that he would ask for Nqwazi to be put on precautionary suspension.

Nelson Mandela Bay Executive Mayor Gary van Niekerk will remain in his position after Judge Denzil Potgieter issued an interdict on Wednesday to prevent his seat - and that of fellow councillor Stag Mitchell - from being declared vacant by the city manager, and their membership of the National Alliance from being terminated.

The tumultuous politics of Nelson Mandela Bay was once again thrown into chaos when, on 9 October, the seats of Van Niekerk and Mitchell were declared vacant by city manager Noxolo Nqwazi.

Nqwazi acted on the strength of a letter received by her from a rival faction within the National Alliance. The party is beset by internal problems and currently has two opposing sets of leaders.

Muriel Edgar, a founding member of the party, said she and Mitchell were regarded as the "mom and dad" of the National Alliance and they were supporting Van Niekerk.

"Those other people [referring to the rival faction] have hijacked us. They can go start their own party," she said.

"You see this heart on the National Alliance's logo? This is for love. Those other people belong in the sewer."

In papers before court, Van Niekerk argued that he saw the notice...