Chaos at State of the Capital Address

It is said that a day is a long time in politics and it seems today is going to be very long as Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga attempts to deliver his State of the Capital Address (Soca) amid disruptions from ANC councillors, reports the Pretoria East Rekord.

The councillors are upset that Soca is being held on the anniversary of struggle hero Solomon Mahlangu’s death.

The sitting was adjourned at least twice by Speaker Katlego Mathebe, and at the second adjournment, she asked ANC councillors to leave, but they refused.

The Citizen further reported that an eerie scene of an ANC ward councillor walking into council chambers with a noose around his neck was witnessed just before the State of the Capital Address proceeded in Pretoria on Thursday.

Walking into the chambers alongside singing ANC councillors, the group reenacted a dramatisation of the hanging of Solomon Mahlangu, who was killed on April 6, 1979.

This after the now opposition party requested Mayor Solly Msimanga to postpone the SoCA as the day was to remember the fallen Mahlangu.

Msimanga was expected to give his first address under the new DA administration, but the ANC caused disruptions, chanting that the address should be postponed.

“Do you want to hang Solomon Mahlangu for the second time? Solomon Mahlangu was hanged on this day by founding member of the Democratic Alliance, Ramon Leon. This sitting should be postponed to any other day,” said ANC caucus spokesperson Lesego Makhubela.

But speaker Katlego Matheba said the sitting was approached to council on September 27, last year, with the ANC not objecting to the proposed calendar.

“You [ANC] were present when we considered the council calendar, and you did not raise any objections. It is disingenuous to want to debate the council calendar today. You had the opportunity to debate the date. It is dishonest to do what you are doing.”

In a bid to compromise, leader in the ANC council Mapiti Matsena requested a moment of silence to commemorate Mahlangu, assuring the chamber the sitting would then proceed.

Matheba agreed, however, following the moment, Makhubela stood to insist the sitting be postponed. He told the media that Solomon Mahlangu’s family declined an invitation to the sitting to remember their son.

“Say to our people that you are continuing with this desecration of the grave of Solomon Mahlangu,” he told the Speaker.

Matheba called on the councillors to take their seat while reading out the rules of council.

“I am not going to allow this meeting to delay any further. We will proceed with this sitting.”

The Pretoria East Rekord also reported that Msimanga said he was determined for his address to go ahead.

“The people of Tshwane deserve to hear how we plan to improve their lives, they deserve to know how their millions will be spent,” said Msimanga.

– Caxton News Service