Chaos in Joburg council derails democracy

Looking at the scenes of chaos which swirled across the chamber of the Joburg city council on Thursday evening – people being pushed and shoved, toyi-toying, water being thrown – it is not surprising that the voters in the city
might wonder who on earth they elected to run their municipality.

However, let’s be frank about this: not all of the parties in the chamber were causing the disruption. It was
a combined group of ANC and EFF councillors who tried to turn proceedings into a juvenile brawl.

And why would they do this, we wonder?

Could it have something to do with the fact that both of those parties failed to get enough seats in the local government elections last year to be able to control the council themselves and had to watch as their opponents put together a coalition to do the job?

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If that is indeed the case, it is disappointing – because the strife will impact on the business of the city by impeding council decisions. That will, inevitably, lead to a decline in service delivery, which is already not of the highest standard… and that’s being kind.

While disappointing, the fracas is not surprising, given the political history and modus operandi of both the ANC and the EFF. In a nutshell, many of them prefer the politics of thuggery over the politics of debate and compromise.

Much more ominous, though, is the distinct possibility that this may all be part of some plot to derail the democratic process. Gauteng MEC for cooperative governance and traditional affairs MEC Lebogang Maile had demanded an explanation and is poised to intervene and take over the affairs of council.

He tried this last year in Tshwane and got slapped down by the Constitutional Court.

That he is lurking on the fringes of Joburg is deeply disturbing.