Violence erupts at Cape Town council meeting as GOOD party demands Speaker's resignation

In a shocking display of chaos and aggression, a City of Cape Town council meeting degenerated into violence on Wednesday, resulting in one councillor being choked on the ground amid a skirmish.

Graphic video footage, provided to IOL, captured the tense moment where a man lay defenseless while being restrained by another individual, prompting intervention from onlookers who attempted to separate the brawling parties.

The incident has ignited a significant political backlash, with the GOOD party calling for the immediate resignation of Cape Town Speaker Felicity Purchase and accusing her of being biased.

"Her continued presence in that role has now resulted in a grievous assault on a public representative, all because he dared to ask a question. Her actions, inactions and biases have resulted in violence and thuggery that have endangered lives," said GOOD party councillor, Roscoe Palm.

Palm condemned the Speaker's failure to uphold the rules of order during the council's oral question period that followed the Mayor’s address. According to her, Purchase unlawfully permitted a point of order that set off the subsequent upheaval, breaching the council's own stipulated regulations.

"Today’s scenes in council were unfortunate, but not unexpected. Once again, the Speaker of the City of Cape Town has failed in her duty to apply the rules of order fairly and consistently. During the oral question period following the Mayor’s address, a session clearly regulated by Rule 11.2 of the Council’s own Rules of Order, the Speaker unlawfully allowed a point of order. That decision alone broke the very rules we are all expected to uphold and set in motion the chaos that followed," said Palm

Palm said he witnessed and recorded a public representative being choked to the point of unconsciousness and she notified the Speaker's table regarding the assault.

Further criticism was directed at the Speaker for allegedly allowing members of the Democratic Alliance (DA) to heckle during the session without repercussions. 

"This double standard is dangerous for our democracy. Council cannot function when the Speaker herself undermines the rules. We cannot expect order and respect when the person tasked with ensuring it is the first to violate the rules," he added.

In light of the violent incident, GOOD announced intentions to demand an urgent investigation into Purchase's conduct during the session, alongside calls for disciplinary action against any councillors who disrupted proceedings, irrespective of their political affiliations.

When approached for comment, Speaker Purchase defended her decisions, stating that an Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) councillor had been repeatedly reprimanded for his disruptive behaviour. 

She claimed that, despite multiple requests for compliance, he had ignored her instructions, leading her to involve the acting City Manager for assistance in enforcing order. 

"As a result of Cllr. Dambuza’s continued non-compliance, I requested the acting City Manager at today’s meeting, to facilitate Cllr. Dambuza’s removal from the chamber...Following this, Cllr. Dambuza, along with members of the EFF caucus, not only persisted in their disruptive conduct but also actively obstructed the efforts of designated peace officers to restore order. Their actions culminated in an attempt to prevent the enforcement of Council Rules through physical obstruction," said Purchase.

She added that due to the severity of the situation, she was compelled to adjourn the sitting and temporarily reconvene the meeting in the Banqueting Hall.

"This decision was taken to allow for the removal of all disruptive EFF councillors from both the chamber and the broader precinct, thereby ensuring that the council could proceed with its mandated business.

"My stance on councillors who deliberately engage in disorder for the sake of political theatre is a matter of public record. As Speaker, I will not permit a minority of councillors to hold the Council and its work to ransom," she said.

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