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Joburg council sitting off to a rocky start
Thirsty ANC councillors disrupt proceedings by continuously objecting to the lack of water at their desks. The members don't want to fetch water from the cannister because its delaying service delivery.
Second Joburg council sitting underway.
The Joburg council sitting is underway but under strict security protocols. It hasn’t been an easy morning for Speaker Vasco Da Gama, as ANC and EFF councillors consistently disrupted the morning sitting over water access, saying they want bottles at their seats.
Da Gama told councillors that water bottles had been removed from the venue because the bottles were used to hurt people at the last sitting, which was postponed after chaos ensued.
Joburg council sitting
‘Water bottle disruption’
ANC and EFF councillors had disrupted Thursday’s council sitting because they wanted to elect Section 79 committees via secret ballot, but Da Gama ruled that the voting method would be by a show of hands.
After arguing about the placement of water for most of the morning, ANC councillors called for a 30-minute break, which was granted.
During the morning session, ANC caucus members said the water canister (which was outside the venue) was preventing them from delivering services to Johannesburg residents timeously.
Social distancing disruption
The EFF caucus then raised another point of order over social distancing, saying they needed more space for their members.
Da Gama responded that some of the councillors could sit in the gallery on the second floor.
But EFF said they prefer to sit together, and suggested the DA sits in the gallery instead.
Netizens respond to Joburg council sitting
Some social media users watching the proceedings live on Facebook called out the ANC and EFF for creating unnecessary distances.
User Elizabeth Raiters posted, “They just trying to delay the process.” Another user, Althea Curtis said:
“It has nothing to do with water. They just wane disrupt the process. After getting the water, they will look for something else.”
“Come on guys we can’t be sitting at home and watching you fight for water, speaker just bring water to the council’s table to avoid unnecessary topics and unwanted drama,” said Hlomuka Ngidi.
“Moerane stands up saying they want order when they are the very ones who resorted to barbaric behaviour in the last seating…goodness we have a long way to go if their behaviour is “order,” said Valencia Ntombi Angel Khumalo
The house is currently on a 30-minute break.
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