We have the numbers, the speaker cannot stop democracy, says Maepa
The Tshwane ANC chairperson claimed to reporters the ANC, EFF and PAC had the majority number of councillors.
File picture. Different political parties can be seen during a short caucus before the start of council at Tshwane House, Pretoria. Picture: Jacques Nelles
A special council meeting called for Thursday is underway, where a number of motions of no confidence against DA members are on the agenda.
The ANC and EFF intend to table motions of no confidence against mayor Stevens Mokgalapa, speaker Katlego Mathebe, chief whip Christo van den Heever, acting speaker Zweli Khumalo, and chair of chairs Gert Pretorius.
Both the EFF and ANC are hoping to also lodge a dissolution of all Section 79 oversight committees. The ANC held a briefing before the Tshwane special council sitting started to outline their plan should motions pass.
Tshwane ANC chairperson Kgosi Maepa said the ANC would embark on a new growth path while working with others to fix the “mess of the DA”.
He said the ANC had the majority.
“There are 214 councillors in council. For a majority, the ANC would need 107 plus one to have the majority.”
With the help of the EFF and PAC, “we already have majority councillors. The speaker cannot stop democracy.”
The much-anticipated council sitting kicked off to a bumpy start with councillors arguing on the rules and orders in terms of who decided the sequence of the items on the agenda.
On Monday, the DA’s deputy chief whip in Tshwane Mpho Mehlape-Zimu laid fraud charges against the ANC regional leadership in Tshwane for allegedly forging signatures of seven members of council in an attempt to “convene an illegal council sitting last week”.
The case was opened at the Brooklyn police station.
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