Ekurhuleni council descends into chaos after ANC accuses EFF of using offensive language
The ANC caucus became furious after an EFF councillor used insulting Sepedi terms to describe how he felt about the character of ANC members.
FILE: 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 vote against the city’s mayor Sivuyile Ngodwana. Picture: Screengrab/ Alpha Ramushwana/ Eyewitness News
JOHANNESBURG - The Ekurhuleni council meeting has degenerated once again as African National Congress (ANC) members accuse Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) councillors of using offensive language while addressing them.
The ANC caucus became furious after an EFF councillor used insulting Sepedi terms to describe how he felt about the character of ANC members.
This constant war of words has characterised the Ekurhuleni council in recent months – with the most notable being a physical altercation between ANC and EFF councillors.
EFF councillor James Mpete was addressing the council in Ekurhuleni on Thursday afternoon when he used the Sepedi term "Mamenemene" to describe the ANC.
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This term is often used to refer to a liar, thief, deceitful person, or a backstabber, depending on the context.
ANC councillors quickly grew upset and demanded an apology, but the EFF councillor appeared unfazed by their reaction.
Council speaker Nthabiseng Tshivhenga then adjourned the meeting briefly to allow party leaders to resolve the issue.
However, this only made matters worse, as the council spent over an hour debating the "Mamenemene" remark and going back and forth about it.