CoJ committee chairpersons elected despite ANC, EFF disruptions

The Joburg council sitting was marred with disruptions again on Thursday as the ANC and EFF drowned the meeting in song in an attempt to prevent the appointment of Section 79 committee chairpersons.

Speaker Vasco da Gama stuck to his guns, despite threats of legal action from some of the parties.

Representatives of the smaller parties left the chambers, saying they were headed to Hillbrow police station to lay charges against Da Gama.

The opposition parties, led by the ANC and the EFF, complained that Da Gama was presiding over illegal processes in the council.

EFF’s Nonhlanhla Radebe disputed the nomination forms for chairpersons.

“Earlier on we requested that verifications be done. regarding nomination forms that were filled by political parties. You We managed to do verifications, earlier on I did tell you that I do not trust you,” Radebe told Da Gama.

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She said the forms for chair of chairs nomination required a signature for community development, a different portfolio. She added that what happened in the appointment of Cope’s Colleen Makhubele as chair of chairs was fraudulent and should be nullified.

Leader of ANC caucus Mpho Moerane said his party won’t hesitate to approach the courts.

“Allow council to debate, speaker. Allow people to raise issues, make a ruling and we move on to other things. If you continue in this manner, we as the ANC will challenge this process, we will go to court if we have to do so.”

Da Gama said although there could have been mistakes on the forms, they were all verified by the legal department.

“They were verified by legal sitting here, not by Da Gama. I was assured that these forms are correct. We are going to proceed, if you need to take this through a different route, please do so,” Da Gama said.

At least 18 people were elected as chairpersons.

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