Chaos as ANC walks out of Zuma debate

South Africa's President Jacob Zuma answers questions at Parliament in Cape Town, March 17, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings

South Africa's President Jacob Zuma answers questions at Parliament in Cape Town, March 17, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings

Published Apr 29, 2016

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Cape Town - The ANC walked out of a full Cape Town city council meeting on Thursday afternoon after failed attempts to get Speaker Dirk Smit to disallow a motion to discuss President Jacob Zuma’s removal from office.

Labelling the motion a publicity stunt and cheap politicking, the ANC’s chief whip in the City of Cape Town, Xolani Sotashe, led the walkout of his caucus, as the DA benches chanted: “Zuma must fall”.

The DA’s Mzuvukile Nikelo tabled the motion asking for members to support calls for Zuma to resign from office, saying it was unprecedented that the president did not uphold the constitution. But Sotashe hit back, saying such a motion was not within the council’s legislative and executive authorities to table and debate.

The DA was using the opportunity to resurrect a failed impeachment debate in the National Assembly earlier this month, he said. “We will never allow ourselves to rape the constitution of the ANC. The ANC will not partake in an illegal debate and an illegal decision.”

Sotashe told the media the motion had been brought to embarrass the president and to detract from the real issues facing the council.

But the ANC was not the only party unhappy with the motion’s tabling. The Al Jama-ah’s Ganief Hendriks said he thought Smit was “punching above his weight” by allowing the motion. Councillors would be “committing treason” he said, if the debate was allowed to continue.

The ACDP’s Demetri Dudley then lashed out at the DA, calling the party “disgusting” and accusing them of taking advantage of the council.

“You are no better than the ANC. It’s a sad day for democracy. The DA is taking advantage of us politically,” he said.

Cope’s Ntombomzi Sikhakhane said while her party was not in favour of Zuma either, she was concerned about the legalities of tabling the motion.

The NP’s Achmat Williams agreed. But Smit said he was allowing the debate in terms of the standing rules that allowed members of the council to air their views on any matter of public importance.

Mayor Patricia de Lille said the council stood for freedom of speech and that Zuma’s actions had affected the council’s ability to finance its projects.

“What Zuma did impacted on local government. We are being seen by the international community as a pariah state.”

The DA’s Brian Watkyns said since municipalities were part of the government of the country, the council was within its rights to debate the matter.

Midway through the debate, a singing ANC caucus returned to the chamber under the impression that discussions were over, only to leave again after discovering the matter was still being debated.

After taking legal advice, Smit suggested that the motion be reworded to reflect that the motion had been tabled in line with the findings of the Constitutional Court on Nkandla, and that the council supported the calls for the president to resign.

Again Dudley was outraged, demanding that the speaker put the amendments to the vote. “You put words in everybody’s mouths,” he said.

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Cape Argus

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