After a City council meeting was disrupted on Thursday, by protesting EFF members calling on safety mayco member JP Smith “to go”, the party condemned the “manhandling” of one of its members – a woman.
The City council sitting descended into chaos moments after mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis made his opening remarks, when the EFF members held up banners calling on Smith to vacate office.
The party called for the release of taxis impounded by the City.
The EFF was ejected out of the sitting by the City’s law enforcement officers and the removal became physical when a scuffle occurred.
The EFF said it “deeply condemns” (Speaker Felicity), Hill-Lewis and the DA, for allowing the metro police “to manhandle councillor (Lungiswa) Ntshuntshe in the month of women”.
The ANC said it condemned the way in which the proceedings were handled.
“When the peaceful demonstration started the mayor had no problem with it until the Speaker intervened and called on the members of the opposition to be removed from the chambers.
“It was at this point that the Speaker decided to leave the venue and later we were informed that the council meeting was whisked into another venue, without consultation with the whips of all political parties.
“The ANC calls for a moratorium on issues of conflict until the issues of impoundments, licences and permits which affect the operators negatively, are addressed. This is not suggesting that law should not be observed during the same period. This will ensure that taxi operators are not victims of the law enforcement, while corrections are made,” a statement by the party read.
National Coloured Congress (NCC) provincial secretary, Paul Bester, said: “The NCC is shocked and appalled by the absolute brutal and hard-handed action used by the City of Cape Town Law Enforcement fraternity during a Cape Town City Council meeting. The action comes after robust debate in the City Chambers.
“Video footage coming from the meeting showed female councillors being man-handled and shoved to the ground by City law enforcement and what looks like security in plain clothes...the NCC has already requested that councillors who has sustained injuries during the action, to take the necessary steps. As the NCC we will not leave any stone unturned to make sure that (no) abuse of power is swept under the carpet,” said Bester.
Enquiries to the Speaker’s office were not answered by deadline on Thursday.
Hill-Lewis said the “violent disruption” halted debate around the recent taxi strike.
“They tried to stop us from proceeding from having a proper debate on the taxi strike that took place a few weeks ago.
“This one violent disruption is the perfect summary, the perfect representation of the political choice in South Africa today.”
Cape Times