Chaos Erupts at Ekurhuleni Council Meeting Over Motion of No Confidence

Tensions ran high at the recent Ekurhuleni Council meeting, as discussions on amending a motion of no confidence in Executive Mayor Sivuyile Ngodwana escalated into chaos.

A standoff unfolded between the African National Congress (ANC) and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) during deliberations on altering the terms of the motion. The ANC suggested that the party with the most seats should nominate a mayoral candidate, while the Democratic Alliance (DA) proposed dissolving the council and reopening elections on 29 May.

Amid these proposals, the EFF requested a 30-minute caucus break, prompting a heated exchange between the two parties. The scene devolved into shouting, with water bottles thrown and physical altercations breaking out.

Speaker Nthabiseng Tshivhenga, who is also a member of the EFF, allowed the ANC Chief Whip Jongizizwe Dlabathi to speak, further aggravating the EFF members. This led to a clash between the ANC and EFF members with the situation escalating to the point where security personnel had to intervene to restore order.

The meeting was adjourned at 19:35 to seek legal advice on appointing an acting speaker to proceed with the motion. Despite being given the chance to resign, Mayor Ngodwana declined, setting the stage for a contentious vote where either the ANC or the EFF would need to cross party lines or abstain.

The motion of no confidence was tabled by ActionSA, with speculation suggesting that the ANC may side with the motion during the vote.