• Nqaba Bhanga was elected mayor of Nelson Mandela Bay metro at a special council meeting.
• Bhanga beat EFF councillor Amandlangawethu Madaka, securing 62 votes to Madaka’s 57.
• The elections come a week after the court declared Bhanga’s 4 December election as mayor inconsistent with the Constitution of South Africa.

The DA’s Nqaba Bhanga is the new mayor of the Nelson Mandela Bay metro.

He was elected on Thursday after a marathon six-hour special council meeting.

It was a two-horse race between Bhanga and the EFF’s Amandlangawethu Madaka.

Bhanga beat Madaka after securing 62 votes, with the EFF councillor obtaining 57 votes.

Speaker Buyelwa Mafaya announced the election of Bhanga as mayor at 17:55.

Madaka was nominated by Patriotic Alliance councillor, Marlon Daniels, and seconded by ANC councillor, Lwandisile Jikeka.

Bhanga was nominated by COPE’s lone councillor, Siyasanga Sijadu, and seconded by the ACDC’s Lance Grootboom.

The elections come after a long day, which saw the special council meeting delayed by three hours.

More to follow.

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