VANDERBIJLPARK – Ziyakhala in Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) as pressure mounts from opposition parties against Mayor Sipho Radebe.
As the political circus continues, the Democratic Alliance has taken legal action against the Speaker of Council, Sibongile Soxuza after accusing her of protecting the mayor under siege.
As if that was never enough, the blame game also linked members of the ANC for deliberate sabotage in their Motion of No Confidence against Radebe.
This comes after the DA initially filed the motion in November 2024, expecting it to be tabled on December 3.
However, the highly anticipated council sitting ended in chaos before the motion could even be heard when ANC members allegedly rampaged council property.
Appointed by the DA, attorneys from Minde Schapiro and Smith have fired off a scornful legal letter to the council speaker, demanding that the motion be heard without further delay.
“The council ought to consider it as soon as possible as a critical mechanism to hold Mr Radebe accountable and ensure the democratic and constitutional functioning of the council and the municipality,” read the letter.
As the controversy continues, the DA also said the motion was mysteriously scrubbed from the agenda for the February 6 council meeting, raising eyebrows about behind-the-scenes political shielding.
The attorneys are now turning up the heat, giving the speaker an ultimatum to set a date for a special council meeting on February 19.
In a new twist, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Regional Chairperson Isaac Khithika took to social media, posting a video lashing the speaker for protecting the mayor.
“We are here to protect the interest of the community. We left the council sitting because the incompetent mayor, Sipho Radebe, is being protected by the speaker. The speaker doesn’t want to table the motion,” he said in the 02 minutes 07 seconds video.
“The first business of the council sitting is the removal of the incompetent mayor. We cannot tolerate and sit while we listen to any other business. Nothing is happening in the municipality, hence we call on the removal of the mayor,” he said.
ELM spokesperson Chuchi Radebe said, “The municipality respectably notes all accusations and questions reflected in the enquiry, but on the grounds of advancement, we confirm receipt of the letter in question, and the motion is still on the agenda of the collapsed council meeting.”
“The municipality would like to put it on record that the council meeting will be reconvened under strict guidelines of our standing rules and orders of council,” he said.
