Limpopo special council sitting descends into chaos after councillor allegedly sjamboked

A special council sitting at a Limpopo municipality descended into chaos after a councillor and ordinary citizens were allegedly sjamboked following a protracted political spat that degenerated into a physical fight.

The incident took place on Monday at the beleaguered Fetakgomo/Tubatse local municipality. According to a source who was at the meeting, the special sitting, which included all political parties and the mayor, was called to discuss the future of the municipal manager, whose contract lapses in two months.

It was also arranged to discuss the fourth quarterly council budget assessment. Bolsheviks Party of South Africa general secretary Seun Mogotji on Tuesday confirmed there was a physical fight.

“The brouhaha [started] after there was a disagreement between councillors on who was eligible to act in the municipal manager’s position,” he said.

“Others harboured a belief that the mayor should place the municipal manager on special leave and appoint the current chief financial officer to act.”

Mogotji said a heated debate erupted during the sitting and punches were thrown, while tables and chairs were broken.

“This happened after a group of people entered the chamber and started sjamboking councillors without any provocation,” said Mogotji.

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He said only members of the opposition, including councillors from the Bolsheviks, the Economic Freedom Fighters and the Socialist Agenda of Dispossessed Africans (Sada), were attacked.

“But what baffled us is that instead of calling security officers, working for and paid by the municipality, or the police, the ANCled political management of the municipality decided to stoop so low and called the local taxi association,” he told The Citizen.

Mayor Eddy Maila branded these claims as untrue.

“Of course there were attempts to collapse the sitting on Monday. But that was handled well after those with evil intentions were shown the door. All the negative reports you are getting could be true but did not happen in my chamber. I had to protect my councillors and kicked them out. But what happened outside, I don’t know.

“Whoever called those who wanted to overthrow the sitting is still a matter subject to investigations. But what I can tell you is that … the council concluded its business of the day…”