‘We will similarly escort the ANC out of our lives in 2024’ — 6 key reactions to Ekurhuleni council drama

A disruption of proceedings in the Ekurhuleni council chambers on Thursday has sparked debate and arguments, with politicians casting the blame on one another.

Videos of former Ekurhuleni mayor and current ANC leader in the city Mzwandile Masina being dragged out of council chambers by Ekurhuleni metro police department (EMPD) members and private security officials went viral on Thursday.

Masina claimed he was thrown out of council for asking valid questions of the mayor, Tania Campbell, while Campbell alleged Masina and the ANC had been disruptive and “threatening”.

Here are six reactions to the drama:

MASINA: “I WAS BADLY BEATEN AND WILL LAY CHARGES’

Masina alleged he was beaten and dragged out “like a hooligan”, and would have left the chambers had he been asked.

“I was badly beaten and am still ashamed that as an elected party representative, I could be manhandled that way. There was no fight. We just differed about the issues. They opted to use an iron first and humiliate us,” he said.

He said he would lay charges against the mayor and speaker Raymond Dlamini.

“As the ANC-led caucus we presented the alternative state of the city address which annoyed the mayor. She had no alternative but to call bouncers to remove us from chamber,” Masina said.

CAMPBELL: ANC OBSTRUCTED PROCEEDINGS THROUGH THREATENING BEHAVIOUR

Campbell alleged the ANC had obstructed “crucial people’s business through threatening behaviour in council”.

“Not for the first time this year, the ANC has today many times massively delayed the council’s debate on the state of the city and the subsequent ordinary council meeting through shameful antics and threatening behaviour.”

She said security personnel had to be brought in to “secure the OR Tambo precinct and ensure the safety of non-ANC councillors”.

“In his rambling speech, Masina failed to make a single constructive criticism germane to the needs of the residents and ratepayers of the City of Ekurhuleni,” she said.

DLAMINI: ‘ANC IS BITTER AND NOT ADJUSTED TO BEING THE OPPOSITION’

Speaking to Newzroom Africa, Dlamini said Masina and ANC caucus whip Jongizizwe Dlabathi were removed from council after continuous disruptions of proceedings, and ignoring his request for them to leave.

He claimed the ANC were seemingly “there to disrupt, disrupt, disrupt”.

“We kept calling order. When we were done with the debate and had to go to the agenda, I could no longer take it. With that I had enough and had to call the unit to come in,” he said.

He said the ANC was “bitter” and had not adjusted to being the opposition.  

DLABATHI: ‘APARTHEID BULLYING TACTICS’

Dlabathi accused Dlamini of abusing council standing orders and law enforcement.

“It was apparent the questions for written reply had not reached the speaker for proper council engagement. When such a procedural matter was interrogated by our ANC caucus party leader, the incompetent speaker chose to suppress the enquiry and clearly ventured into suffocating the ANC caucus.

“Rightfully, and as provided for in the standing orders, the ANC caucus called for further recognition in the form of a point of order, which was deliberately shut down by the speaker,” he said.

He alleged Dlamini failed to chair the meeting and instead resorted to “apartheid bullying tactics”.

MASHABA: ‘THIS IS WHAT YOU GET WHEN YOU VOTE FOR THE ANC’

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba claimed the ANC was to blame for proceedings grinding to a halt and said they refused to leave when asked.

“This is what you get when you vote for the ANC, not service delivery,” he said.

SCHREIBER: ‘WE WILL SIMILARLY ESCORT THE ANC MAJORITY OUT OF OUR LIVES IN 2024’

DA MP and shadow minister of public service and administration Leon Schreiber took to Twitter to claim the ANC leaving the chambers was a “sign of things to come”.

“Like the DA escorted Masina out of council today, so too will we escort the ANC majority out of our lives in 2024.”

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