WATCH: Fists fly at council meeting

A City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) ordinary council meeting was adjourned on November 30 after a brawl between EFF and the DA councillors.

This was after the EFF expressed their ‘disgust’ at a DA councillor accused of making racial slurs.

Soon after the council was supposed to commence, the EFF attacked DA members and promised ‘to teach them a lesson’ which led to some DA councillors being injured.

This was not welcomed by other political parties as councillors accused the speaker of council failing to maintain control and allowing the meeting to collapse.

Ekurhuleni DA caucus leader, Ald Tanya Campbell said the speaker did not control the situation, allowing the council meeting to collapse.

“She sat idle while the EFF physically assaulted councillors. Once matters escalated violently, the speaker abruptly adjourned the meeting and walked out, leaving the EFF councillors to continue the assault on the DA councillors,” said Campbell.

She said the councillor accused of racism was not in council as he has resigned.

“The speaker was aware of the resignation. A letter was submitted to her office. This was planned by the EFF to avoid council business,” said Campell.

ActionSA also shared the DA’s sentiments about the speaker as Ekurhuleni causes leader Siyanda Makhubo said the EFF delayed the council from discussing important issues.

“Today council would have dealt with compliance issues including the annual financial statement from the auditor general which needs to be sent back to the auditor general for rectification. The EFF collapsed the meeting to prevent approval of the institutional report which will see the city correcting several inefficiencies needed for critical service delivery,” said Makhubo.

ANC caucus whip Jongizizwe Dlabathi said the ANC is disappointed in the events that transpired.

“Before the meeting was supposed to start there were instances of disruptions. That disruption continued even after the speaker of the council read an order. We condemn what happened,” said Dlabathi.

He said the ANC would have preferred the speaker to salvage the council meeting.

The speaker, Nthabiseng Tshivhenga said the reasons to adjourn the meeting were from the multiple disturbances in the council.

“I took the decision to adjourn the meeting due to the altercation that took place in the council chambers. Furthermore, we also had a power failure and sound system issue. Councillors got physical and we then revoked Rule 72.2 that gives power to the speaker to adjourn council meeting due to grave disorder,” said Tshivhenga.

The council is scheduled to meet again on December 7.

Also Read: Local NPO demands urgent meeting with councillor

Also Read: Insults, allegations and chaos mar Ekurhuleni council meeting