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) rejects the ANC in Ekurhuleni’s political grandstanding against the Multi-Party Coalition government, and their attacks on the City of Ekurhuleni's Executive Mayor, Ald Tania Campbell and Speaker, Cllr Raymond Dlamini.

Since last week, the ANC in Ekurhuleni has been on a media campaign to try to discredit the Multi-Party Coalition government in the City of Ekurhuleni after the ANC's attempts to derail the ordinary Council meeting failed.

The Ordinary Council meeting followed Mayor Campbell’s maiden State of the City Address. On the agenda was the crucial tabling of the draft budget and the Integrated Development Plan (IDP), which was essential to allow for public participation and eventual adoption of the budget.

Members of the ANC caucus used every opportunity to disrupt and obstruct the meeting, their actions, eventually, became threatening, which led to the Protection Services being called in to remove the ANC caucus leader, Ald Mzwandile Masina. The rest of the ANC caucus followed.

All other political parties remained and continued with the business of the day. The meeting resumed without incident according to appropriate Council decorum.

Had the ANC succeeded in collapsing the meeting, the delay in tabling the draft budget would have impacted the opening of the public participation process and the eventual adoption of the budget.

Adopting the budget is crucial and will allow the city to start addressing some of the mismanagement inherited from the ANC and begin implementing service delivery programmes.

The ANC’s actions are indicative of a party that has run out of ideas and reverting to grandstanding instead of constructively participating in Council in the interest of residents and ratepayers of Ekurhuleni.

Whilst the ANC plays politics, the multi-party coalition, led by the DA’s Mayor Campbell is working tirelessly to get things done and deliver for all the communities across Ekurhuleni.

Issued by DA Gauteng Provincial Leader, Solly Msimanga, MPL