/ MEDIA STATEMENT / The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the City of Ekurhuleni has brought a Motion of No Confidence (MONC) in the EFF Speaker, Cllr Nthabiseng Tshivhenga as we believe she has utterly failed in her duties as the Speaker of Council.

The violence that erupted in the City of Ekurhuleni Council sitting on 29 February 2024 under Cllr Nthabiseng’s watch, reveals exactly what their priorities are. The EFF chooses thuggery and violence over democracy and residents’ needs - she must do the honourable thing and resign.

Once again, the EFF speaker sat idle while violence erupted in the council chambers. She allowed EFF councillors to beat their colleagues and destroy council property.

The once august house has turned into a circus of vulgarity where fists and foul language have become the norm.

This is not the first council meeting where violence has erupted. In November last year, EFF councillors stormed the DA benches physically assaulting DA councillors. Once again, the Speaker, who is responsible for maintaining order in the house, watched on.

The speaker is blatantly putting her political party ahead of not only the safety of councillors but also residents across the city, choosing to let anarchy take control of the meeting rather than placing council proceedings.

Enough is enough and the DA is calling on the EFF Speaker to resign before she is removed through a democratic vote in the chamber. We cannot allow the council to degenerate any further!

The speaker has failed to be fair and has brought the legislature into disrepute, choosing to protect the Executive.

The speaker must go and the decorum of the council must be restored!

We are calling on the EFF Speaker to do the right thing, and resign before we remove her through a vote in council. Beyond this, however, we stand by our call for the council to be dissolved. Only fresh elections can stabilise the council.

Issued by Cllr Raymond Dhlamini - DA Ekurhuleni Caucus Chairperson