Pretoria - Bow ties and black outfits were sported in the Tshwane council on Thursday in solidarity with a DA councillor who claimed executive mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa made sexist remarks towards her, and another whose claim to fame, according to the mayor, was wearing a bow tie.
The DA wants Ramokgopa to apologise for the “sexist nature” of comments he made against DA councillor Bronwynn Engelbrecht during a special council sitting last Friday.
The party staged a peaceful protest outside the Sammy Marks council chamber ahead of the ordinary meeting on Thursday.
Dressed in black outfits in support of Engelbrecht, the DA members were holding placards with messages such as “Sputla must apologise”, “No place for sexist mayor” and “Mayor shames capital city”.
There were those in the DA who wore bow ties to support their colleague Lex Middelberg, of whom Ramokgopa said his only claim to fame was wearing a bow tie and lying.
Others sprayed their hair the colour of Engelbrecht’s.
In the council, chief whip Jabu Mabona said some ANC councillors also wore bow ties.
Ramokgopa made the remarks during the council debate on the 2015 State of the Capital Address, during which he blasted the opposition of having nothing of substance to say, describing the debate as “two hours of nothing”.
He then tore into Middelberg, claiming he lied to the country by saying the city stood to lose R1.2 billion after terminating its smart prepaid meters contract with PEU Capital Partners,
Responding to Engelbrecht, Ramokgopa said: “No, she wants attention. No, no, no, don’t do that. She needs attention and honestly we can’t give you attention here. I mean I can’t come here and insist on your attention when I have a wife at home who is giving me attention. This thing is heartbreaking… When you go home there is no one to tell you that you are beautiful today… Maybe you want people to see you… Even the colour of the hair changes; we don’t know what kind of colour it is…”
People filing into the council chamber showed a thumbs-down sign at the DA entourage, while passers-by looked on and took photos with their cellphones.
The DA has referred Ramokgopa’s remarks to the Speaker of the council for investigation, and Engelbrecht has lodged a complaint against the mayor with the Gender Commission.
Crezan Bosch, of the DA, said Ramokgopa should set an example to all men in the city and not treat women as sex objects.
“He may also not speak down to women and should treat them with respect. This action is also in solidarity with all women who have suffered the same fate as Engelbrecht,” Bosch said.
Francois Bekker, also of the DA, said the sexist remarks showed Ramokgopa was a broken man.
He said an insult to one councillor was an injury to all.
Mayoral spokesman Blessing Manale said Ramokgopa would never apologise unless ordered to do so by the Speaker of council.
Manale said the executive mayor was not sexist, and the DA councillors should know this.
He said the staff committee in the mayoral office and executive committee were an equal mix of men and women.
Manale added the mayor made the comments during a “gloves off” debate.
Mabona described the conduct of DA councillors as making a mockery of the council by staging a protest.
However, DA chief whip Marietha Aucamp said her team could not make a bigger mockery than Ramokgopa did.
Addressing the council, Ramokgopa insisted that his remarks be referred further for investigation.
- Both the budget and the Integrated Development Plan were voted on and approved by way of the ANC’s majority in council.
Pretoria News