South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have assumed the Speaker role in the City of Ekurhuleni. The council voted in Nthabiseng Tshivenga as the new Speaker, following a motion of no confidence in the previous DA Speaker, Raymond Dhlamini.
Despite the DA councilor’s attempts to delay the process by adjourning the council sitting, the meeting continued until late Thursday night and ended with councillors requesting Dhlamini to recuse himself.
They accused him of being conflicted and unable to move the meeting forward. The change in Speaker position in Ekurhuleni also resulted in Jongizizwe Dlabathi of the ANC being elected as the acting chief whip, following the resignation of the DA’s Khetha Shandu.
The motion against Dhlamini and Shandu’s resignation has put the future of Thania Campbell as the Ekurhuleni Mayor in question.
The EFF taking over the parliament in Ekurhuleni marks a significant shift in the political landscape of the city and is sure to have far-reaching consequences.