POLOKWANE – It was a heated council meeting on Thursday morning as tempers flared at the Jack Botes Council Chambers.
EFF members were said to have disrupted the proceedings and after several failed attempts by the speaker to calm the situation, the police were called in to assist.
Review spoke to EFF Polokwane Spokesperson, Mashapa Sesera who was adamant that the party did not disrupt council, but rather, the speaker and security who was called in. Sesera explained that the EFF raised a point of order on questions the party raised early. “The EFF wanted to know why our questions were not raised and the Speaker did not want to answer our questions,” he explained. Sesera says there was no need for security and police to be called in as it made the situation worse. “We were appalled that security guards and police came in to the chambers with guns and some of our female councillors’ clothing was torn in the process, by male security guards,” he said.
DA Councillor Frank Haas said that the actions of the EFF was unfortunate. “They claim to be there for the people and their needs, but when there is a discussion in council meetings about the people’s needs the EFF disrupts the council meeting for four hours,” he said.