Shortly after the meeting started, Democratic Alliance (DA) council members became upset because the minutes of the meeting were incorrect and did not reflect that the DA voted against the budget.
Izak Berg, from the Independent Ratepayers Association of South Africa (IRASA), had a shouting match with the chief whip of council, Robert Mashego, after his name did not appear on the list of councillors with queries to the minutes.
Berg then pointed a finger at the speaker, Patricia Kumalo, after she tried to control them.
Kumalo was furious and says she took it as a personal insult as her late husband of 30 years never pointed his finger at her.
The meeting was adjourned for a few minutes as she was too upset to continue.
Order was restored and the meeting continued.
Disintegration, however, soon followed after ANC councillor, Doctor Xhakaza, MMC for Water and Energy, called black DA members “fronts”.
Councillor Andre du Plessis from the DA raised an objection by way of a point of order.
“The speaker would not entertain the idea that the ANC was out of order and cited this was a political debate and that the DA should be quiet, she then allowed the MMC to continue,” says Fortune Mahano, DA leader in Ekurhuleni.
The debate descended into chaos when Xhakaza then said it was a proven fact that the DA would “bring back apartheid”.
Kumalo lost momentary control of the situation and the DA party walked out of the meeting.
The DA says they have laid the blame of the disintegration of the meeting squarely at the door of Kumalo and her “poor management of council meetings”.
“Every member of the Democratic Alliance is elected into their position based solely on merit, regardless of their race or gender,” says Mahano.
He adds that it is also unbelievable that any member of the public or ANC could possibly believe that the DA would bring back any form of apartheid.
“The party has proven through years of service that it is liberal and believes only in an open opportunity for all, but despite this track record the DA reveres the Constitution and abides by its rule of law and according to that legislation the party could not bring back any apartheid style laws.”
The Addie contacted mayoral spokesman Zweli Dlamini for comment, but was referred to chief whip Mashego.
Several attempts to contact Mashego were unsuccessful.
