A council meeting scheduled for the election of a new speaker in the City of Tshwane collapsed on Monday after it failed to reach a quorum.
This after councillors from the DA and its coalition partners comprising the FF Plus, ActionSA, IFP and African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) were allegedly instructed by the DA to take “group leave” to break up the quorum.
As a result, 108 councillors were absent from council chambers.
The instruction comes after councillors defied a directive of the coalition and voted for COPE’s Murunwa Makwarela to be the new mayor of Tshwane after Randall Williams’ controversial resignation early in February.
The coalition previously concluded that it would collectively support DA MP Cilliers Brink.
However, the council conducted the election by the method of a secret ballot, which facilitated Brink’s demise.
Obakeng Ramabodu, EFF Tshwane regional spokesperson, denounced the coalition’s instruction and said it is inconsistent with the law to break quorum.
“The municipal manager, Mr Johann Mettler, called the special council meeting as empowered by the Municipal Structures Act 117 of 1998,” said Ramabodu.
“Furthermore, a legal opinion obtained by the municipal manager indicated that the meeting is consistent with the law.
“The absence of the multiparty opposition meant that the work of the council could not proceed, because ActionSA, DA, FF Plus, IFP and ACDP councilors are boycotting residents at the time when needed the most.
“In our revolutionary duty as Tshwane EFF, we advise all political parties in the Tshwane multi-party opposition not to mislead each other in boycotting future council meetings legally called by the municipal manager to elect a speaker.
“In the context of ActionSA, the ‘buy one, get one free’ approach to politics is not working, as a vote for ActionSA means a vote for the DA.”
Ramabodu urged ActionSA to attend council meetings for the sake of “the pro-poor promises” that the party made to the people of Tshwane.
Lie detector tests
Since the election of Makwarela as the mayor of Tshwane, the DA and its remaining loyal coalition partners have expressed their disappointment, saying that councillors were induced to defy their directive and subjected them to lie detector tests.
Ramabodu argued at the time that the use of lie detector tests infringed on the councillors’ rights.
He said: “The EFF in Tshwane is appalled by ActionSA and DA decision to subject councillors to lie detector tests following a secret ballot election of the new executive mayor in the City of Tshwane municipality.
“The decision of ActionSA and DA is a violation of the councillors’ constitutional rights to fulfil their responsibilities effectively in the municipal council.
“Schedule 3 of the Municipal Structures Act 117 of 1998 under section 6[a] gives councillors powers to elect office bearers through a secret ballot if more than one candidate accepts a nomination.
“The lie detector tests against councillors doing their work are not just morally inappropriate, but also inhumane and insensitive for the DA and ActionSA to do.”
Ramabodu said the election that elevated Makwarela to the mayorship was of legitimate competency and noted that lie detector tests violate the competence of the council.
“Conducting selective lie detector tests on democratic processes of the municipal council violates the competence of the council to conduct its business freely and fairly.
“Tshwane EFF will not remain silent when municipal council decisions and outcomes are violated by forces outside the municipal chamber.”
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