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‘I want the blood of an Afrikaner’: Chaos at Tshwane council as mayor refuses to apologise
The DA said it will take action against “this blatant display of hate speech” and report EFF's Ramabodu to the Human Rights Commission.
A general view at the City of Tshwane council meeting on 24 November 2021, in Pretoria. Photo: Gallo Images/Beeld/Deaan Vivier
Chaos erupted in the City of Tshwane on Thursday, resulting in the adjournment of a council meeting without any progress being made.
The Tshwane council convened a sitting in the morning, but experienced disruptions throughout the entire session until it was adjourned around 3pm by the speaker, Mncedi Ndzwanana.
The meeting descended into chaos as members from the African National Congress (ANC) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) demanded an apology from Tshwane mayor Cilliers Brink over his recent utterances.
In the past few days, Brink and his party, the Democratic Alliance (DA), have criticised the ANC Tshwane’s move to file a motion of no confidence against the mayor.
ALSO READ: DA says everyone backing ANC’s motion to oust Brink will be aiding graft
DA Tshwane caucus leader and Finance MMC, Jacqui Uys claimed the motion would aid the ANC in corruption.
The same sentiments were shared by Brink.
“The motion of no confidence is aimed at taking us back to the days of looting, of internal mismanagement and no consequences.
“Whereas this multi-party coalition government is building a capital city that can work for all of its people,” he said in a video posted on social media on Wednesday.
Tshwane council meeting disrupted
As soon as Thursday’s sitting got underway, the meeting was marred by points of order as the ANC asked Ndzwanana to table the no confidence motion.
EFF regional chair Obakeng Ramabodu asked Brink to withdraw his comments and apologise before the meeting could discuss the items on the agenda.
“The attitude of the executive to think that we are their garden boys and they can go in the public, insult us and come to this council and it must be business as usual. It can’t work like that,” Ramabodu said.
“This public assassination without any facts comes to an end today!” the EFF councilor continued.
Proceedings took a racial turn when Ramabodu accused Brink of equating corruption with black African councillors.
ANC Tshwane chief whip, Aaron Maluleka, shared these sentiments as he referred to Brink as a “delinquent who thinks he can speak at every turn”.
“We are not scared of Brink [and] we want to tell him. He must know that he was talking nonsense. He was insulting us as black people,” Maluleka said.
READ MORE: ANC says Brink replaced black African officials
Maluleka also took a swipe at Uys, saying “she’s just a Chihuahua” who is excited that she occupies an MMC position.
“We are working with people that think black [people] are inferior, drunkards and thieves. We are not going to keep quiet,” he added.
ANC Tshwane caucus leader, Eugene “Bonzo” Modise also weighed in and claimed that Brink was not “our mayor”, but the leader of a coalition.
This was followed by a back and forth between councillors, while Ramabodu later escalated tensions.
“I’m craving to moer a Boer – I want the blood of an Afrikaner! I would be happy to moer a Boer – that will be nice, an Afrikaner’s blood. I want the blood of an Afrikaner – bring the blood of an Afrikaner – I want it!” he said.
Watch the video below:
I absolutely reject what the EFF member said in the Tshwane council today.
— Mark Surgeon (@MarkSurgeon2) July 25, 2024
This level of hatred and such a threat of violence towards Afrikaans people will not be tolerated by the VF Plus caucus in Tshwane.@VFPlus pic.twitter.com/MJ9NV3AKRH
Brink refuses to apologise
The EFF councillor, however, withdrew his comment.
“I was told I will be beaten, and I responded that I will be happy to suck the blood of an Afrikaner. But if that was taken out of context then I will apologise unconditionally and I’m sorry about that,” Ramabodu told the council.
By 3pm, no progress was made, with Ndzwanana asking Brink to apologise or withdraw.
“I can only withdraw something that I have said in this council meeting. I cannot withdraw or debate things that have been said outside of the council meeting. There is no basis for that,” the Tshwane mayor responded.
READ MORE: Tshwane ANC accused of sabotaging Brink over waste collection tender dispute
The speaker was forced to adjourn the sitting.
The DA has since confirmed that it will take action against “this blatant display of hate speech” and report Ramabodu to the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC).
Ramabodu, in his earlier apology, claimed he did not have a problem about being reported to the SAHRC.
“I will respond there,” he said.
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