But mayoral spokesman Zweli Dlamini said it was just a misunderstanding.
The DA said it is appalled by the treatment that the ANC Speaker of the Ekurhuleni council, Patricia Khumalo, meted out to the media, when she halted proceedings shortly after the meeting started, to question the presence of Carte Blanche.
This, the DA’s Ashor Sarupen said, was despite the fact that Carte Blanche had notified mayoral spokesman Zweli Dlamini of the fact that they would be present to record the meeting.
“The Speaker still saw fit to attempt to gag the media,” said Sarupen.
He added that, upon opening the meeting, the Speaker queried the presence of a young woman manning a TV camera in the media gallery.
“In answer to a visibly angry Kumalo, the journalist said she had arranged with Dlamini to attend and record the meeting,” he said.
“Hearing this, Kumalo abruptly called an adjournment and stalked out of the chamber.
“At this point, the DA caucus started chanting ‘freedom of the press’, to protest against this obvious attack on the free press and their rights in terms of the law.”
According to Dlamini, the Speaker, as head of the legislature, only needed clarity on why the proceedings were being recorded.
“We invite all media houses to our monthly meetings all the time, and the notion that Carte Blanche was badly treated is just fabrication,” he said, adding that the Speaker explained this to council after she had been briefed and the meeting could continue.
The DA added that this was not the first the Speaker had indicated her discomfort with the media.
“Kumalo previously threatened to ban the media from attending the proceedings of council altogether, when photographers from various media houses left the chamber to take photos of a DA walkout, in September 2011,” said Sarupen.
“The Democratic Alliance is deeply disturbed by the Speaker’s repeated attacks on the free press and we will take all steps possible to stop the ANC in its obvious desire to gag the media and suppress the constitutionally enshrined right of freedom of the press and freedom of expression, through the oversight committee on the mayor and the legislature, as well as any and all other legislative mechanisms available to the party.”
