Joburg Council Approval of Minutes Affirms DA's Position that Clr Da Gama remains Speaker of Joburg Council
30 January 2020
The DA notes the decision taken by Council to approve the minutes of the Council Meeting held on the 4 and 5 December in which the motion of no confidence (MONC) against Speaker Cllr Vasco Da Gama was debated.
Although the minutes reflect that the Acting Speaker, Cllr Alex Christians, initially ruled the motion against Clr Da Gama had passed. The minutes also reflect that after objections were raised from the DA and the EFF, and following legal consultation, the Acting Speaker resolved that the motion against Clr Da Gama had failed. By extension this meant that Clr Da Gama remained the Speaker.
That Council has approved the minutes is a clear indication that Council accepts the sequence and veracity of events that unfolded in that meeting which resulted in the MONC failing and Clr Da Gama retaining his Speakership.
The ANC engaged in thuggish and undemocratic tactics by deliberately ignoring the Acting Speaker’s final ruling which was today affirmed by Council.
These tactics were further fueled by MEC Lebogang Maile who once again unlawfully interfered in our City’s Council by instructing the City Manager to convene an illegal Council Meeting. As was made abundantly clear this week, Mr Maile has demonstrated on numerous occasions that his decisions are informed more by his partisan loyalty to the ANC than the constitutional rule of law.
As the DA we have always maintained that the MONC against Clr Da Gama failed and we have steadfastly rejected the manner in which the ANC has violated all council processes to steal the Legislature.
For the reasons outlined above, we once again reiterate our stance that we do not recognise ClrMolwele as Speaker. Our attendance of council was based on the fact that this meeting had been confirmed by all parties in accordance with the council year planner. We indicated in writing to the Office of the Speaker that we do not consider our attendance in this meeting to be legitimising the incumbent officer bearer position.
By walking out of Council, the DA could no longer participate in a meeting that was being presided over by an illegitimate Speaker.
Our dispute has nothing to do with holding onto power. This is why we graciously conceded defeat to the ANC when Council elected ClrMakhubo as Mayor. We did not dispute the outcome of that result and immediately acknowledged ClrMakhubo as being democratically elected. We did so because we respect democratic processes and seek to maintain the integrity of Council.
Ours is a fight for the respect of the rule of law, and respect for Council procedures. If the ANC is allowed to flout Council rules and bully its way into power, it will effectively render our Council Rules and the law null and void.
The DA will weigh all its options on Cllr Molwele’s disputed occupancy of the Speaker’s seat.
Issued by Funzela Ngobeni, DA CoJ Caucus Leader, 30 January 2020
