DA applauds former Speaker Cllr Dhlamini, vowing to continue Fighting for Order and Discipline in Ekurhuleni

by Cllr. Khathutshelo Rasilingwane — DA Deputy Chief Whip in Ekurhuleni

Date: 24 February 2023

Release: Immediate

Type: Media statement

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Ekurhuleni has accepted the outcome of the motion of no confidence against the Speaker of Council, Cllr. Raymond Dhlamini, in the Council Meeting of the 23rd February 2023, and would like to express its disappointment at the events that led to the unjust removal. After having served as the Speaker of Council over the last 12 months, Councillor Dhlamini was removed with a vote of 124, for, versus 75, against. The parties who voted in favour of the Speaker’s removal included Action SA, ANC, ATM, EFF, ICM, IRASA, PAC, NFP, UDM, and COPE.

Although the tenure of the Speaker was short-lived, Cllr. Dhlamini has successfully presided over 15 council meetings and the resolution of over 460 items. With no prior experience in the position upon election, Cllr. Dhlamini has continued to grow in his role as Speaker and has improved with every council meeting, serving the Council and residents of Ekurhuleni in an exemplary manner.

The motion in itself was frivolous, with no clear evidence to support or substantiate the supposed “unfitness” of Cllr. Raymond Dhlamini as the Speaker of Council. Many of the claims made in the motion were baseless and referred to delegations and functions outside of the scope of the authority of the Speaker. During the debate in Council, the said parties admitted that Cllr. Dhlamini served the Council with the required professionalism and dignity, and the motion itself was nothing but political with no true bearing on his character as a Speaker. It was therefore clear from the onset that the motion was a mere vehicle to remove Cllr Dhlamini as Speaker through majoritarian rule regardless of his work ethic or fitness to hold office.

In the Council meetings leading up to his removal, Cllr Dhlamini has continued to fight for the rights of the residents by maintaining council decorum and upholding the rule of law. The council meetings for the months of January and February 2023 were marred by numerous disruptions and acts of ill discipline from the ANC, EFF, and opposition parties. The adjournments of the meetings due to the disruptions resulted in the eventual hijacking of the City Council through the unlawful actions of the City Manager, Dr. Imogen Mashazi, and the convening of an illegal sitting, which saw a host of illegal decisions being taken, including the election of an illegitimate acting speaker from the EFF. These parties are steadfast in handing control of the City back to the ANC instead of joining forces with the DA to address years of infrastructural neglect, corruption, and maladministration. And as always, the residents of Ekurhuleni got the short end of the stick.

The former speaker, however, won an urgent court order in the Gauteng High Court to have the decisions taken during the council meeting set aside and the meeting declared unlawful. This showed the might of the law and sent a clear warning to political parties and politicians alike, who are prepared to do anything, even undermine the law, to grab power for the sake of accessing resources, instead of doing the work they were elected to do and delivering quality services to residents. This was not only a victory for the rule of law, but for the residents of Ekurhuleni.

While we are clearly disappointed that the coalition of corruption succeeded to bring an end to the good work of the Speaker, we will not give up the fight to ensure that order and discipline is restored in Council and the City to the benefit of our residents. Thursday’s motion of no confidence against Cllr Dhlamini was nothing but a ploy by the ANC to regain control of the City’s coffers and reverse the great work of the Multi-Party Coalition.

We will remain steadfast in our resolve to ensure that residents come first and that they receive the best services possible from the government of the day.

Whether this is from the seats of leadership or the benches of the opposition, our commitment to improved service delivery will remain unwavering.

Cllr. Khathutshelo Rasilingwane

DA Deputy Chief Whip in Ekurhuleni