The Tshwane Speaker of Council has addressed the controversy surrounding last week’s council meeting when security guards forcefully removed DA councillors amid a heated debate on metro projects and budget spending.

The turmoil began when Speaker of the Council Mncedi Ndzwanana ordered DA councillor Ofentse Madzebatela to leave the sitting for alleged disruption.

Madzebatela’s refusal to comply prompted the Speaker to call security guards to escort him out.

However, other DA councillors intervened, standing in the way to prevent the guards from getting to Madzebatela.

Councillor Katlego Makgaleng was grabbed by the bouncers as he shielded Madzebatela.

Makgaleng resisted, leading to a physical altercation.

Ndzwanana said on November 4 opposition parties had propagated a false narrative across various social media and news platforms on the removal.

“Last Thursday, there were two council meetings that took place, the continuation and ordinary council meeting.”

He said during these meetings, three opposition councillors allegedly disrupted the proceedings and undermined the Speaker’s authority despite multiple warnings.

As the second meeting commenced after lunch, Ndzwanana allegedly reiterated to all councillors that continued disruption would lead to enforcement of Section 36 (1) of the Rules and Orders By-Laws, 2021.

This regulation empowers the Speaker to call attention to breaches of order and, if necessary, remove non-compliant members from the meeting.

“Unfortunately, the warnings went unheeded, leading to the disruption of the council meeting proceedings,” he said.

Ndzwanana said the disorder continued, and one specific councillor was requested to leave several times.

“The councillor refused to comply, which prompted the need for council orderlies to intervene and enforce the removal in accordance with Section 37 (1) of the Rules and Orders By-Laws.”

This regulation permits the Speaker to authorise the removal of any member who refuses to comply with directives aimed at maintaining order.

“While only one councillor was initially targeted for removal, two additional councillors were escorted out for obstructing orderlies in the execution of their duties,” said Ndzwanana.

He said only those councillors were removed, and the remaining opposition councillors decided to leave the council meeting of their own accord.

“This is not the first time that council orderlies have been used to maintain order in council proceedings.

It is troubling that some councillors believe they are above the law and that the rules and orders of council do not apply to them.”

Ndzwanana reminded all councillors that they were elected to serve Tshwane residents and that constant disruptions hinder important reports on service delivery.

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This follow allegations of chaos erupting during last week Thursday’s council meeting at Tshwane House, where DA councillors alleged that they were manhandled due to a plot by the ANC, EFF and Action SA.

DA Tshwane Spokesperson Kwena Moloto said: “ActionSA has failed its first test in Tshwane, showing that it is the ANC/EFF who truly run the city and control the coalition, as they voted to override council rules to protect an ANC councillor flagged for removal.

ActionSA councillors sheepishly raised their hands to protect ANC councillor who has missed six council meetings over a seven-month period. Council rules are clear: any councillor who misses three meetings without apology must be referred to the MEC for removal.

Councillors are paid by residents to represent them and be present in council,” Moloto said.

“This incident paints a troubling picture for Tshwane. If ActionSA is willing to bow to ANC and EFF pressure on relatively minor issues, how will they stand firm when the stakes are higher?

We have seen the ANC and EFF coalition install proxy mayors in Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni, and it’s only a matter of time before they exert similar pressure here in Tshwane to push for lucrative contracts, lift suspensions of implicated officials, or bury forensic reports.”

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According to the DA, this incident is part of a larger pattern of intimidation and violence perpetrated by the opposition in Tshwane.

The party claims that the coalition is using force to silence opposition councillors when it is unable to win debates in council.

DA caucus leader Cilliers Brink claimed that the coalition was unable to engage in constructive debate, resorting instead to “weaponising municipal resources to suppress the opposition”.

He said DA councillors were met with demands for their removal instead of answers to their challenging questions.

“Deputy mayor Modise demanded that the councillors be removed, and the Speaker dutifully obliged.

Bouncers were brought in to forcibly and illegally remove DA councillors Moloto and Makgaleng.”

Brink said the Speaker has repeatedly failed to protect councillors from documented assaults by the other political party members and now actively targets his opponents.

He added that the DA plans to open cases against the Speaker and those involved in what he called an assault on democracy.

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