WATCH: ‘I’m not going anywhere – I’m the deputy mayor’: Bobani

23 May 2017 - 16:16 By Rochelle De Kock And Avuyile Mngxitama-Diko
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A Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality council meeting adjourned abruptly on Tuesday morning when opposition parties butted heads over several items – including speaker Jonathan Lawack’s request for deputy mayor Mongameli Bobani to leave the meeting.

Councillors accused Lawack of bending rules and reminded him of a meeting in October last year which “degenerated into chaos”.

Bobani accused Lawack of abusing his powers and Lawack responded by asking him to leave the chamber.

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But Bobani responded: “I’m not going anywhere. I’m the deputy mayor. Unless you want to collapse the meeting.”

Lawack then refused to continue the meeting until Bobani and another councillor who had interrupted him – Siphiwo Plaatjies – left the chamber.

DA chief whip Werner Senekal then asked for an adjournment so party whips could come together to organise their members in the interest of progress.

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Addressing the media during the adjournment‚ Bobani said he had refused to leave the chamber as Lawack was not following the rules.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane said in a tweet the party “cannot support the actions of Mr Bobani in council today”.

“It has affected the lives of NMB citizens. Action must be taken.”

- TMG Digital/HeraldLIVE

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