There was plenty of drama in the City of Tshwane Municipal chambers on Thursday.
This as the proceedings were marred by insults, wild accusations, and absenteeism by a Councilor at a crucial time.
The proceedings, which started in the morning and ended in the evening, culminated in the EFF’s motion of insourcing security guards and cleaners in Tshwane being nullified.
This after EFF Councilor Godwin Ratikwane mysteriously failed to show up in the chambers when it was time for the motion to be tackled.
Ratikwane was the one who had proposed the motion, but the Speaker nullified the said motion as he (Ratikwane) was not there to back it up formally as per Council procedure.
Attempts to get EFF Tshwane leader Obakeng Ramabodu to explain the absence of Ratikwane from the Council chambers at such a crucial time drew a blank as he did not respond to messages sent to him by Tshwane Talks.
A few minutes before the aborted EFF motion of insourcing, Ramabodu had promised the Tshwane security guards and cleaners gathered outside the Council chambers that the EFF would go into the chambers and table a motion that would demand immediate insourcing.
“Our motion is insourcing now, while ActionSA is talking about a feasibility study,” roared Ramabodu as he took a swipe at ActionSA when he addressed the anxious Tshwane security guards.
“The feasibility study that ActionSA is telling you about is a myth and a ploy for elections because if they really wanted insourcing, why should they worry about the feasibility study?” asked Ramabodu.
“If ActionSA is really in charge, it should just say it is approving insourcing now,” griped Ramabodu.
Ramabodu pointed out that the problem with ActionSA’s feasibility study is that it is not a guarantee that insourcing would be implemented, this as the Tshwane Municipality may acknowledge the study, but turn around and say there is no money to implement the recommendations of the said study.
Ramabodu said all this after ActionSA’s feasibility study motion had been adopted by Council earlier in the day.
The DA voted together with ActionSA for the motion to pass by 109 votes against the ANC/EFF’s 82.
Addressing the security guards also outside Tshwane House, ActionSA Tshwane Regional Chairperson Jackie Mathabathe expressed joy that his party’s motion had been passed regarding the feasibility study into insourcing.
“We want to make sure that the budget for insourcing security guards and cleaners is included in the Mid-Term budget of the City of Tshwane that will be tabled in June,” said Mathabathe.
“Although the motion of the feasibility study has passed, that doesn’t mean insourcing will start tomorrow, but insourcing will happen and will never be delayed any further as it is now a Council resolution,” he said.
In a veiled criticism of the EFF’s rhetoric regarding insourcing, Mathabathe urged the security guards not to listen to those who politicise the insourcing issue as it was a serious matter and not a political game.
One of the leaders of ActionSA told workers that the passing of the feasibility study motion meant that the security guards would now be part of the Municipality’s Mid-Term budget.
“The only way you can be insourced is when you have been budgeted for and what is said by the EFF is just politicking, because you can’t be insourced without a budget,” he explained.
“If the EFF means business about insourcing, let them first insource your colleagues in Ekurhuleni, where they are in government,” he said.
Chairperson of a Tshwane structure of security officers Joshuah Mudau told Tshwane Talks that if ActionSA’s strategy of a feasibility study would bring about the desired insourcing, then that would be great, but pointed out that to them it doesn’t matter whether insourcing is finally brought about by EFF or ActionSA’s strategies.
“But we hope that ActionSA will ultimately honour its promise to insource us,” he said.
At the beginning of the Council meeting the Speaker Mncedi Ndzwanana allotted time for Councillors to pay tribute to the late City of Tshwane former speaker and also mayor Dr Murunwa Makwarela, who passed on on Wednesday morning.
But this opportunity was used by EFF Councillors to insult and swear at members of the DA, accusing them of having killed Makwarela with depression.
This as Makwarela had a fallout with the DA when he became the City’s mayor supported by the EFF/ANC alliance in 2023.
The insults thrown at the DA lasted for a long time and finally the Speaker intervened and said: ”
“Councillors, members of the family of the deceased Dr Makwarela are watching and listening, what do you think they are saying about your behaviour at this moment?”