The DA in Gauteng is demanding that a council meeting convened to pass a motion of confidence against Emfuleni mayor Sipho Radebe, be conducted urgently.
This after the council sitting was cut short after chaos erupted, allegedly by the ANC council members who did not want voting to go through.
The DA filed the motion as they believe that the mayor’s leadership is poor. It blamed this for the ongoing failures of the municipality, which have allegedly left residents in dire circumstances.
Chaos ensued after IEC exclusion in voting
Duncan Mthembu, DA Emfuleni local municipality caucus leader, said they were shocked by the ANC’s behaviour. Its members started grabbing the microphones off the tables and wrecking the furniture, he said.
He said this happened shortly after the speaker of council announced that the IEC will not form part of the voting process. This as per a request from the DA.
“They proposed that the IEC must be there as a delay tactic. And when they realised that their plan was not working, that is when they decided to disrupt council. They threw around furniture, including chairs and tables.
“No leader should behave in such a manner. This act exposed our female councillors at risk. They kept throwing tables at councillors who were also seated,” said Mthembu.
He said when the speaker left, that is when everyone else decided it was time to leave.
Vicious and unacceptable behaviour
Solly Msimanga, DA Gauteng leader, described the behaviour as vicious and unacceptable. He accused the ANC of attempting to block any challenge to their leadership by resorting to violence.
Msimanga emphasised that the motion was filed in the best interest of Emfuleni residents. The municipality’s water and electricity services have collapsed. This is allegedly due to the ANC’s inability to manage its finances.
One of the reasons the motion was filed was because the municipality is also facing a massive financial crisis. Eskom account is sitting at over R6-billion in arrears.
“The municipality’s bank accounts have been attached multiple times. And as a result they cannot even pay their employees’ salaries. Waste collection in Emfuleni is non-existent. And 72% of all water supplied to the Emfuleni local municipality is lost, wasted or unusable.
“We know that this is how the ANC reacts when their failures come home to roost. The DA is not deterred. And the residents of Emfuleni deserve better than the failing mayor. Which they have been subjected by the failing ANC of Panyaza Lesufi’s Gauteng Province,” said Msimanga.
FF+ opened a vandalism case with police
The Freedom Front Plus were reportedly set to vote for the motion. They have reported the vandalism at the council chambers to the police. The party also plans to lodge a complaint with the speaker.
Gerda Senekal, FF+ Gauteng deputy leader, referred to the Code of Conduct for councillors. She said it prohibits any councillor from damaging municipal property
“The FF Plus will not tolerate such conduct, especially not from office-bearers who fulfil a leadership role in society. And who ought to set a good example,” said Senekal.
Jason Mkhwane, ANC Sedibeng regional secretary, told Sunday World that the chaos was caused by the disagreement on whether to use the IEC or not on a voting process.
Mkhwane could not confirm when the next sitting will be to resume the agenda. But he highlighted that council will be guided by its standing rules and orders on when to convene the next council.
