×

We've got news for you.

Register on SowetanLIVE at no cost to receive newsletters, read exclusive articles & more.
Register now

Tshwane council will 'have to grapple’ with how it deals with scuffles: Mashatile

Stood up to Zuma: Paul Mashatile. Picture credits: Gallo Images
Stood up to Zuma: Paul Mashatile. Picture credits: Gallo Images

The Tshwane city council finds itself in Parliament’s shoes as it prepares to grapple with whether to allow law enforcement officers into council chambers when disruptions occur.

This follows the disruption of Tshwane’s council meeting on Tuesday when a group of African National Congress (ANC) supporters forced their way into council chambers‚ leading to a scuffle between councillors.

The interruption and subsequent scuffles were preceded by repeated calls for unruly ANC councillors to maintain order in the chambers after they ignored calls to cease disrupting proceedings.

ANC councillors were objecting over the authenticity of some officials present in chambers.

Tshwane metro police and SAPS officers eventually had to intervene by entering council chambers‚ bringing into question whether law enforcement officers could be brought into the chambers in light of a Constitutional Court ruling barring police from being used to remove parliamentarians from the National Assembly chambers.

Gauteng MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Paul Mashatile said the Tshwane council would have to follow in Parliament’s shoes.

“The way Parliament has grappled with it‚ the council will also grapple with it‚” said Mashatile.

“We also agreed that all councillors will operate within the rules of councils. We would like the council to operate within the rules. Parties will also manage the people they invite to the council.”

Despite seemingly putting up a united governmental front and ignoring party political lines momentarily‚ Mashatile and Tshwane mayor Solly Msimanga appeared unable to resist directing partisan jibes at each other.

Mashatile’s plea that the council follow its own rules appears to be a dig against the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) insistence on appointing a chief of staff without advertising the post‚ as well as naming a chair of chairs who is not a chairperson of any section 79 committee.

Msimanga hit back‚ seemingly suggesting that Tuesday’s chaos by ANC councillors and supporters was intentional and meant to destabilise the DA-led coalition government running Tshwane.

Wednesday’s meeting between Mashatile and Msimanga as well as leaders of all political parties represented in council took place amid intense suggestion and suspicion that the meeting was called mainly to prepare grounds to dissolve council.

The provincial government is able to place a municipality under administration through Section 139 of the Constitution but only after determining that a municipality is unable to perform ita functions.

Said Msimanga: “The people have given us a mandate and that mandate is that we don’t have a clear majority. So‚ our responsibility is to govern as a multi-party government. We are pleading with members of parties and members of the public to rally behind the government (of Tshwane).”

 Mashatile announced that speaker Rachel Mathebe would refer Tuesday’s incident to the rules committee for clarity and future reference.

Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.

Speech Bubbles

Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.