Pretoria - A legal tussle is looming between the ANC caucus in Tshwane and council speaker Dr Murunwa Makwarela (Cope) over the legality of hosting virtual meetings despite constant contestation by the opposition party.
The threat to go to court was made known by the ANC during the last ordinary council meeting of the year hosted on an online platform yesterday.
In a protest against Makwarela’s decision to conduct the meeting virtually, ANC councillors staged a “walk-out” by logging off and threatening to approach the courts for recourse.
The beginning of the meeting was punctuated by points of order and information from councillors, who expressed their displeasure about the virtual sitting.
Some councillors disputed the fact that the meeting formed a quorum, suggesting that faceless people who logged in online might not be Tshwane councillors.
ANC caucus leader Frans Boshielo said the party councillors were physically present at the Tshwane House council chamber following the first meeting notification that they needed to converge there.
The meeting, Boshielo said, was subsequently changed to a virtual meeting.
“We are still taking a view that virtual meetings are not catered for within our rules and orders of the City of Tshwane.
“Even in the previous meetings we have raised that concern and our lawyers have written several letters (to you) pertaining to this kind of meeting,” he said.
He asked Makwarela to furnish councillors with an attendance register, but this was not done.
ANC chief whip Aaron Maluleka said the party would take legal action against Makwarela to challenge the decision to host council meetings online.
“We are tired of engaging you. I think you are a law unto yourself. You will engage with the courts on how to run this council.”
He accused Makwarela of being “a delinquent that relies on the state coffers to have lawyers when we go to court”.
Lex Middelberg, sole councillor of rookie political party Republican Conference of Tshwane, disputed information by the speaker that the meeting was duly constituted.
“I request that you formally call the roll because I dispute the quorum, and as you call out each councillor’s name they switch on their videos and announce their presence,” Middelberg said.
However, his request for the attendance register to be read out was not granted.
Makwarela said: “It is my prerogative to check the attendance and I think I have done so.”
EFF caucus leader Obakeng Ramabodu lashed out at Makwarela for being arrogant by dismissing an earlier request from a councillor who asked for an interpreter and was told there was none.
The South African National Civic Organisation in Tshwane said it “learnt with disgust that the speaker of the City of Tshwane has called a strictly virtual meeting to assist the DA-led coalition to steal votes using the virtual platform”.
“It is strange and sickening to think that the speaker would use his role to benefit a DA-led coalition at the expense of the citizens of Tshwane,” it said in a statement.
Pretoria News