Tshwane - The swearing-in of 214 councillors has just concluded for the Inaugural council meeting of the City of Tshwane at Tshwane House in Pretoria.
Amid the swearing-in, councillors are faced with the task of electing a council speaker, executive mayor and chief whip of the council.
ANC has 75 councillors, the DA 69, the EFF 23, ActionSA 19 councillors while the FF+ has 17, and the rest are from other political parties.
Acting City Manager Mmaseabata Mutlaneng convened the proceedings and councillors took oaths and affirmations led by magistrates and judges from across the country.
Of the 214 councillors, 107 are ward councillors and 107 are proportional representative (PR) councillors.
Meanwhile, earlier in the day, EFF and ANC councillors were seen chanting struggle songs. When the programme resumed, EFF chairperson Benjamin Disolane approached Mutlaneng on a point of order, complaining about seating arrangements but he was told that prior arrangements had been made and there were options to watch proceedings virtually or from the boardrooms.
Council was disrupted for a few minutes after FF Plus councillors said they wanted to take their oaths in Afrikaans. Mutlaneng told them that an interpreter was there, but since his services were not used, he left.
However, EFF councillors raised a point of order, saying they are were also compromised by taking the oath in English.
“We request a boer from the DA to step in and help translate”.
Indeed the councillors went back to take an oath.
ActionSA President Herman Mashaba visited Tshwane House to observe the swearing-in, he said the plan is that all his 19 councillors, together with EFF, will vote and ensure the DA gets the three big posts.
Mashaba said although they were giving the votes to DA, it was not a gift.
The council adjourned for lunch and will resume after 4pm.
Political Bureau