Johannesburg – Councillor Nthabiseng Tshivenga has been elected Speaker of the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.
Tshivenga, a member of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), was elected on Thursday to replace the Democratic Aliance’s (DA) Raymond Dhlamini.
The EFF in Gauteng said it “welcomed the election of Councillor Nthabiseng Tshivenga of the EFF as the Acting Speaker of the council in the city”.
The EFF added: “We also welcome the passing of the motion of no confidence on the former DA speaker councillor Raymond Dhlamini, who since his assumption of office has been partial and shown no consideration of the important role the council plays towards service delivery to residents on the ground”.
The EFF said Dhlamini’s removal followed a series of “nefarious attempts by the former speaker to occlude council business from proceeding including taking the council to court and his insistence to preside on a council meeting that was to sponsor a motion of no confidence against himself as part of the agenda”.
The EFF added that it also “condemns the wicked and arrogant actions of the DA in Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality Council in their efforts to frustrate the business of council by calling for endless adjournments and staging a walk-out of the council in a failed attempt to collapse the seating”.
In a strongly worded statement, the EFF said: “The DA remains unapologetic on its racist supremacist position, this was proven today when they thought it is just to continue presiding over a house in which they have lost the majority.
“The EFF Gauteng reiterates its commitment to stable governance that is obsessed with service delivery to the Gauteng community and Ekurhuleni residents in particular.
“We have always maintained that we are willing to work with other political parties that prioritise these principles and respect the dignity of black people”
