Mr John Mahlangu, Azanian Resident Party (ARP) councillor, was booted from the council meeting held on Thursday, January 6.
Govan Mbeki Municipality’s speaker, Ms Fikile Magagamela, read an email from ARP which states that the party is removing Mr Mahlangu, their former president, and replacing him with Mr Smanga Nkosi.
Chaos erupted when the speaker told Mr Mahlangu to leave the meeting and said both her office and Mr Mahlangu have the email from the Independent Electoral Commission that says he is being replaced.
Mr Mahlangu and speaker began to argue about this.
He told the speaker that he is the president of the ARP and also its councillor. He claimed that the party suspended their general secretary and they wrote about this to the IEC, but the speaker said Mr Mahlangu must leave.
Mr Mahlangu said the council cannot take decisions on behalf of his party.
Mr Mahlangu accused the speaker, as well as the acting municipal manager, Ms Lizzy Shabalala, and Mr Nhlakanipho Zuma, mayor, of sowing division within his party.
He also said the motive behind his removal from the council is because he doesn’t vote with ANC councillors when decisions need to be taken by the council. He always voted with other parties.
Mr Mahlangu told the council that he got the letter from the acting municipal manager that says he is being removed and replaced.
He also accused the mayor of promising Ms Shabalala the municipal manager’s position if she can remove Mr Mahlangu from the council. Mr Mahlangu threatened to take the matter to court.
The speaker called law enforcers to remove Mr Mahlangu from the council chamber.
He was forcefully removed and his council laptop was forcefully taken from him.
Some political parties were not impressed with what has happened in the council meeting. They warned the speaker to be careful of some decisions from the local IEC office.
The mayor told councillors that council doesn’t have jurisdiction over matters relating to the IEC.
“The mistake that we have made, is to subject ourselves to party politics. We only respected what we were given by the IEC,” said Mr Zuma.
Councillors wanted to see all letters that are related to Mr Mahlangu’s removal from council.
Mr Zuma directed the councillors to the IEC offices.
