The most interesting quotes from the Jo’burg council

The Jo’burg council meeting in which mayor Herman Mashaba survived a motion of no confidence may have not have chairs flying in the air‚ but it sure was fun.

The council meeting in Braamfontein on Thursday went into the night as councillors intensely debated various motions‚ ending with the motions to remove Mashaba and speaker Vasco Da Gama.

TimesLIVE has compiled some of the best quotes on the day from councillors who spent more than 10 hours in chambers.

“Even the great Oliver Tambo is not going to save you today‚” said Economic Freedom Fighters leader Musa Novela.

“Borrowed power can never be the will of the people‚” one ANC councillor warned the Democratic Alliance.

“Executive mayor‚ please wake up and stop dreaming‚” said ANC councillor Geoffrey Makhubo‚ talking about the mayor’s plan to have 5% economic growth for the city.

“We note the unending cost of these investigations … Sigijimisa izipoki nje (We're chasing ghosts)‚” said an opposition councillor described Mashaba’s investigations into corruption in the city.

“It is not cadre deployment now‚ it is cadre burial‚” the EFF said‚ in reaction to allegations that former MMC for infrastructure environmental services Matshidiso Mfikoe used City money to pay for a comrade’s funeral.

“We’re not in partnership with the DA. You must withdraw that‚” an irritated Novela told ANC councillors.

“But Speaker‚ you seem to be Alice in the Wonderland‚” said one of the councillors arguing for Da Gama’s removal.

“If foreigners leave tomorrow‚ there will be many unemployed people‚ the infrastructure will just be as bad. Just ask the people here‚ north of Sandton‚” Makhubo said‚ in reference to Mashaba’s known xenophobic sentiments.

“This motion confirms that our colleagues in the ANC are making baby steps in the journey of mastering the ins and outs of opposition politics …They will need this experience in Metsimaholo and after 2019 elections‚” said MMC for development planning Funzela Ngobeni‚ on the motion to remove the mayor.