VANDERBIJLPARK – Chaos unfolded during a highly anticipated motion of no confidence (MONC) vote procession against the Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) mayor, Sipho Radebe, on Tuesday, November 3.
The council chamber in Vanderbijlpark, which was expected to host a decisive vote, turned into a battlefield of disruptions, and heated exchanges as ANC members allegedly composed a collapse of the sitting.
This is after ANC councillors sang and chanted during the sitting, and later trashed the packed chamber.
The DA, which tabled the motion with the municipal manager, April Ntuli, was confident to push for a vote after weeks of political tension.
But just as the council was nearing a decision on whether the vote would be done by secret ballot or a show of hands, an uproar struck.
According to the EFF’s statement, the proceedings seemed under control until the council speaker called for a five-minute adjournment.
What followed can only be described as political sabotage, with ANC councillors allegedly storming back from their caucus break, ready to derail the proceedings.
The ANC’s regional spokesperson, Velile Mkhontwana, has since promised an investigation into the matter.
“The ANC in Sedibeng has resolved to do thorough investigations into the developments and reasons that led to the collapse of the council sitting. A public statement shall be issued as soon as the investigations are concluded,” he said.
EFF’s Sedibeng Regional Chairperson, Isaac Khithika, slammed the ANC for their actions.
“We condemn this behaviour in the strongest terms and would like to remind the ANC in Emfuleni that the majority of the people did not grant them a 50+1 mandate. If they cannot succeed through debate, they should not disrupt the council but instead allow democracy to unfold. Their actions illustrate our firm belief that numbers are not numbering on their side,” he said.
DA caucus leader Duncan Mthembu was equally enraged, accusing the ANC of undermining democracy.
“We cannot allow such an act, especially in a democratic space. We need to make sure that whatever is legislated and whatever the rules and orders are given to us, we need to follow the latter. We are taking further steps to see what is it that can be done to make sure that those responsible for the destruction are held to account,” he said.
