New Cape Town Mayor Dan Plato on Monday unveiled a 12 person mayoral committee (mayco) that includes five women. However, he insisted that gender considerations had nothing to do with his choices.

He also confirmed that Deputy Mayor Grant Haskin is to be axed, following a spat between Plato's Democratic Alliance, and Haskin's African Christian Democratic Party.

The DA has given notice of a motion of no confidence in Haskin, which will be put to the vote at the next council meeting.

Plato told a media briefing on Monday that Haskin's removal was a political decision.

"All political parties do receive their directives from a national level, and that is where I want to leave it," he said.

The ACDP caucus on Monday released what it described as an open letter to its DA counterpart, accusing the DA of "below-the-belt bullying with defamatory allegations".

"Is this an indication of how you use those who had put you into power, kept you in power and have contributed so much to the successes this city and all its people will enjoy for years to come?" the letter asked.

The letter confirmed, however, that the ACDP remained committed to the DA-led multiparty government in the city.

When Haskin leaves, there will be only two non-DA members in the committee ? Gerhard Ras of the Independent Democrats in the community services portfolio, and Dumisani Ximbi of the United Democratic Movement, who moves from his current safety portfolio to health.

The deputy mayor's post goes to Ian Nielson, who lost to Plato in the DA race for the mayoral chain.

Nielson retains his finance portfolio.

Other mayco members are Belinda Walker (corporate services), Felicity Purchase (economic development and tourism) Shehaam Sims (housing), Grant Pascoe (social services), Mariaan Nieuwoudt (planning and environment, Elizabeth Thompson (transport, roads and stormwater), Clive Justus (utility services) and JP Smith (safety), who will take up his post only after Haskin is ousted.

Purchase, Smith and Pascoe are newcomers to the committee.

Plato said the team would serve until the 2011 local government elections.

He said he did not take gender issues into account when putting it together.

"Definitely not. Competence, more than gender issues," he said.

"I would never have just go(ne) for a lady and that sort of thing. It's about competence.

"We're running a business, a business with a massive budget of in the region of R19-billion, so people (have) got to be careful.

"This is not running a spaza shop at home and that sort of thing. This is a macro business."

DA leader Helen Zille, who swopped the city mayor's post for that of Western Cape premier following last month's general election, has come under fire for appointing an all-male team in the provincial executive.