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 Samantha Jackson, media manager for the GOOD party.

Jackson 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 Jackson.

Jackson said she 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,” Jackson 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.

As of the time of publication, inquiries sent to the City’s office by IOL had not elicited any response.

sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za

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