Ekurhuleni brawl: DA calls for council dissolution, search for Mayor's missing phone continues
A physical altercation involving EFF and ANC councillors broke out in the Ekurhuleni Council on Thursday night, during which Mayor Sivuyile Ngodwana's phone went missing.
A physical altercation involving EFF and ANC councillors broke out in the Ekurhuleni Council on 29 February 2024. This was ahead of the no-confidence motion in Mayor Sivuyile Ngodwana. Picture: Screengrab/ Eyewitness News/ Alpha Ramushwana
JOHANNESBURG - After yet another violent sitting, where parties in Ekurhuleni attempted to oust its mayor, the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the city is suggesting that it is time to consider a motion aimed at dissolving its council.
The proposal by DA caucus leader Tania Campbell, who herself was removed from the role via a motion of no confidence in 2023, said the city cannot continue operating as it is now.
On Thursday night, an altercation broke out between Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and African National Congress (ANC) councillors just as the sitting was meant to hear arguments in favour or against a no-confidence motion in Mayor Sivuyile Ngodwana.
While the red berets were opposed to the motion brought forward by ActionSA, Eyewitness News understands the ANC in the region is likely to support Mayor Ngodwana’s removal.
The ANC in the East Rand has long been critical of the relationship it has with the EFF which was forged by its provincial leadership.
READ: ANCYL calls on ANC caucus in Ekurhuleni to support no-confidence vote against mayor
Meanwhile, Campbell stated that her party isn't opposed to the mayor’s removal, however, it feels the council needs to be dissolved.
"Madam Speaker, we cannot carry on like this. It is an absolute bottomless pit of political games and political play," said Campbell.
MAYOR'S MISSING PHONE
During the sitting, Mayor Ngodwana's phone went missing, and after footage showing a councillor dressed in the EFF's signature red overalls was seen slipping what looked like a phone from Ngodwana’s desk into his pocket, the device is believed to remain missing.
The ANC in the city said the police are following up on what they’ve described as the theft of the mayor’s phone which disappeared during a scuffle that broke out in council.
Ngodwana’s security personnel spent a better part of Thursday night searching for the phone, however, Eyewitness News and several other media outlets captured the moment a councillor pocketed what is now believed to be the mayor’s phone
The mayor only noticed his device had gone missing after metro police had entered the chambers and escorted the red berets out of the sitting.
And in between managing councillors behaving badly, police now seemingly have to follow up on the case of the missing mayoral phone.
"Law enforcement agencies are actually following up on that. So I'm sure that it will be found," ANC caucus chair Doctor Xhakaza said.
Xhakaza added that the motion of no confidence in the mayor would soon be re-convened.