VIDEO: NMB council comes to a standstill

The meeting was marred with singing, arguments and councillors speaking over one another.

A Nelson Mandela Bay council meeting had seen no progress six hours into it on Thursday and came to a complete standstill.

The special council meeting where several motions were expected to be tabled, including a motion to oust Mayor Athol Trollip, was adjourned before lunch.

The meeting was marred with singing, arguments and councillors speaking over one another.

Council Speaker Jonathan Lawack walked out twice during proceedings and then eventually adjourned the meeting.

When councillors came back after lunch, the Democratic Alliance (DA) said they wanted the special council meeting to proceed and for councillors to vote on the motions.

“The [Economic Freedom Fighters] EFF can challenge us; we are ready. Let’s do this today so we can carry on with delivering services to our people,” said Nqaba Bhanga.

The opposition parties opposed this, arguing that Lawack had agreed in a multiparty meeting to postpone the special council meeting for 14 days.

The African Independent Congress’s (AIC’s) Tshonono Buyeye said: “The 14 days came from you Speaker. You suggested that we reconvene in 14 days. That didn’t come from anyone else but you. I suggest you stick to what you agreed to in the multiparty meeting.”

The meeting came to a complete standstill as ANC, United Front and EFF councillors sang struggle songs after Lawack ignored their calls to remove Bhanga after he allegedly made “cutting of the throat gestures”.

At this point Lawack walked out for the third time.