ActionSA City of Ekurhuleni Caucus Leader Siyanda Makhubo noted that Speaker of Council Nthabiseng Tshivhenga will meet with party leaders on Tuesday, to formally submit a petition from councillors obligating her to reconvene council.

Last Thursday, violence broke out in the council chambers during ActionSA’s motion against “the EFF’s puppet mayor” Sivuyile Nogdwana.

ActionSA placed a motion against the mayor citing a collapse of service delivery in the municipality.

Makhubo said that councillors in Ekurhuleni from ActionSA, African Christian Democratic Party, African National Congress (ANC), Democratic Alliance (DA), Freedom Front-Plus, Patriotic Alliance, Independent Ratepayers Association of SA, Inkatha Freedom Party, the Congress of the People, African Transformation Movement, Pan Africanist Congress of Azania, the United Democratic Movement, and the Independent Citizen Movement had signed a petition that obligates Tshivhenga, through the Municipal Structures Act, to reconvene a council meeting if a majority of councillors request it.

“The petition requires 113 signatures in Ekurhuleni, and because of the EFF’s actions last week, this threshold will be easily reached as all parties remain united to reconvene the February 29th Council Meeting,” said Makhubo.

He said the Council must reconvene within 7 days in an extraordinary sitting where ActionSA’s motion will be tabled once again.

ActionSA said not only does it not condone the EFF but also Tshivhenga, who, it claims, assisted her fellow fighters to collapse council by refusing to order the EFF to leave when the vast majority of council were seated peacefully.

ActionSA has also written directly to the Ethics Committee to sanction the EFF Caucus for its acts of outright violence, as well as the Speaker, who ActionSA said reneged on her promise to protect councillors after a previous incidents involving the EFF and the DA in Council.

ActionSA insists that the City’s finances need to be stabilised, the institutional review rapidly implemented, and quality services delivered to the residents as soon as possible.

“This will require a stable government based on competence as opposed to political expedience. To this end, ActionSA is willing to work with parties that share our values and will support proposals that will lead to stability in the City until the 2026 elections,” he said.

ActionSA has always been clear that the ANC and EFF are responsible for the crisis the City finds itself in, and therefore they cannot be a part of the solution.

FIRING OF EFF MMCS

Meanwhile, the DA called on Ngodwana to fire all his EFF Members of the Mayoral Committee (MMCs), saying this would send a strong message that he condemns violence.

“Taking a strong stance of this nature would show that the EFF-puppet mayor respects the communities across Ekurhuleni. By firing the EFF MMCs, the mayor will send a strong message that he condemns violence,” said DA Ekurhuleni Caucus Leader Tania Campbell.

Campbell said the party’s call follows the “shocking and appalling behaviour” that the DA says showcases how the EFF chooses “thuggery and violence” over democracy and putting residents first.

She noted that in fact, the executive mayor was punched and assaulted by EFF councillors as well as having his phone stolen during the altercations.

“The fact that the EFF felt so comfortable to physically attack the Mayor shows how little regard they have for him and his position. Aldermann Ngodwana may be the “outgoing” mayor, but he should show the residents that he has a backbone and some dignity left and fire his EFF MMCs,” said Campbell.