Charges against ANC councillors must send message – Joburg mayor

Four DA councillors from the City of Joburg Metro have laid charges of physical assault against fellow ANC councillors after they had allegedly pushed them at the chaotic council meeting on Thursday evening.

Joburg executive mayor Dr Mpho Phalatse hoped this would send a clear message against criminality involving councillors.

The affected ANC councillors will not be named until they have appeared in court.

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Phalatse confirmed council speaker Vasco da Gama and council chief whip Tyrell Meyers accompanied the DA councillors to the Hillbrow police station to lay the criminal charges on Sunday.

The four are the MMC for group corporate and shared services, Leah Knott; MMC for development planning Belinda Echeozonjoku; MMC for environment and infrastructure Michael Sun; and DA ward councillor Stuart Marais.

They laid charges of physical assault and had submitted video footage on which the charges were based at the police station as evidence.

The alleged assaults occurred during the chaotic council meeting after the ANC and EFF councillors demanded a secret ballot, instead of an open ballot, to vote for council chair of chairs and section 79 committee chairs.

But Da Gama as speaker refused to allow it, saying it was not provided for in the council rules and the Municipal Structures Act.

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