The City of Johannesburg's first ordinary council sitting got off to a tense start when coalition partner and Action SA president Herman Mashaba did not support his partners in a vote confirming council minutes.

It is usually a smooth process but councillors were divided about the order of events recorded in the January 18 council minutes.

The issue was raised by EFF councillor Musa Novela who said council rules were not followed.

When council speaker Vasco da Gama moved to approve the minutes, Mashaba abstained from the vote.

Soon afterwards, he asked for an hour caucus break.

Speaking during the meeting, he said: “There was a three-hour meeting last night with [Gauteng co-operative governance and traditional affairs] MEC Lebohang Maile trying to assist us with how the meeting should continue and we're talking this and that and not what we'd agreed on.”

When the meeting started, Da Gama congratulated COPE councillor Colleen Makhubele who was elected chair of chairs during the meeting of the 18th.

He was soon followed by Joburg mayor Mpho Phalatse who also relayed her congratulations to Makhubele.

Shouting from the back, African Independent Congress (AIC) councillor Margaret Arnolds said Mashaba knew what he was talking about.

“Why did we lose out on sleep if the meeting was going to continue like that... He was at the meeting. He knows how the meeting should be going,” Arnolds said.

Joburg is run by a multiparty coalition consisting of the DA, Action SA, COPE, ACDP, IFP and FF Plus.

Da Gama announced a 30-minute break before Mashaba interjected asking him if he was refusing his one hour.

“I just want to make sure, are you refusing my request for one hour?” Mashaba questioned.

Da Gama said the request was granted and urged Mashaba to stick to the hour.