A Sedibeng District Municipality council meeting was once again brought to a halt this week after teargas was released inside the council chambers.

This marks the second such incident this year, following a similar disruption in February.

Councillor Sibusiso Dyonase confirmed the latest incident in a direct conversation.

He said councillors had barely taken their seats when they began smelling teargas, prompting an immediate evacuation.

Security officials deemed the chamber unsafe, and the meeting was cancelled. According to Dyonase, the meeting had 76 items on the agenda — many of them backlog issues from the 2023/2024 financial year.

Among the most pressing items was a report on the alleged kidnapping of Sedibeng Mayor Lerato Maloka and her driver in May, as well as theft allegations involving the Mayor’s stepson related to the licensing department.

The council is now in recess until 22 July, meaning these items will stand over yet again. “It’s becoming a pile-up,” Dyonase said, adding that repeated delays are severely impacting service delivery and accountability.

Dyonase alleged that the disruptions may be deliberate, suggesting “delay tactics” by the ANC.

Dyonase also questioned why JMP Security — the company responsible for safety at the chamber — had not improved its protocols since the last teargas incident.

“Why was nothing beefed up after what happened earlier this year?” he asked. He further alleged the company was granted a three-year extension despite lacking a valid PSIRA certificate at the time of appointment, and claimed it is being protected by the mayor’s office and the municipal manager.

The Democratic Alliance has indicated it will write to the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) for urgent intervention.

Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

Despite the disruption, no injuries were reported.