EFF loses breathalyser battle

Following the Emfuleni municipality mayor’s state of the municipality address in June, the EFF has been calling for a new rule that would see councillors undergo breathalyser tests ahead of council meetings because they were under the impression that the mayor, Jacob Khawe, showed up drunk to deliver his address.

However, their battle was cut short after the proposal they tabled as a motion was shot down, reports The Sowetan.

“We respect ourselves and the community. We are saying let’s do the right thing going forward by doing a breathalyser test before council and any other programme related to council,” said EFF councillor Mpho Motaung.

The ANC, who has the majority in the council, would not support the motion because they believe the EFF’s assertion was “more of an allegation than anything else.”

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Member of the mayoral committee of infrastructure development, Khetiwe Notmbela also came to Khawe’s defense saying that there is no way that he could have come to a meeting tipsy.

Another EFF member then went on the record to state what they had seen.

“We came here before the process started. That is where we witnessed that he was reeking of alcohol. We witnessed it in broad daylight, he did not have the balance in his legs,” stated EFF councillor Moyokazi Mazibuko.

The speaker of the council Maipato Tsokolibane has urged the EFF to follow proper channels if they wish to bring a charge of misconduct against the mayor as the council has put measures in place to deal with the misconduct of its members.

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