BREAKING NEWS – One city councillor survives motion, proposer ordered out

Polokwane Municipality Member of the Mayoral Committee and African National Congress (ANC) ward councillor Hafiz Shaikh survived a motion of no confidence during a special council meeting this morning (Wednesday) after the proposer, Democratic Alliance (DA) cllr Franco Marx was ordered by Speaker Mariri Ralefatane to leave the house before the motion was entertained.
The reasons for the request for the removal of Shaikh as member of the Mayoral Committee reportedly related to his conduct as chairperson of the defunct Spatial and Land Use Committee of the council.
Ralefatane said that the motion “falls off”, although DA caucus leader Frank Haas maintained that the motion that called for Executive Mayor, Thembi Nkadimeng to consider to remove Shaikh as member of the Mayoral Committee, was carried without debate or objection.
Marx referred to “the ANC” when speaking about councillors in the house and was, after objections from the floor by ANC members, requested by the Speaker to withdraw the reference because all members in council are councillors as such. Marx refused to withdraw and Ralefatane instructed the security staff to escort Marx from the chamber. Marx insisted that it was his “constitutional right to political free speech” before he followed security personnel out of the council chamber.

Story and photo: BARRY VILJOEN
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