A fight broke out when Ekurhuleni Metro Police tried to remove EFF members from the house. Photo by Happy Mnguni
PEOPLE who came to listen to Ekurhuleni mayor Mzwandile Masina’s state of the city address yesterday at the Germiston Council Chambers left disappointed.
But those who came to see a fight were very pleased!
EFF members disrupted proceedings, which soon led to a full-on fight with Ekurhuleni Metro cops.
This was even before Masina could begin his speech.
The Metro cops arrived to remove them from the house, but it seems they were no match for the EFF, who hurled water bottles at them.
While Metro cops tried to remove them, the members hit them with anything they could lay their hands on.
Witnesses said they saw Metro police officers falling hard among screams of fear from other political party members.
DA members pulled out red cards and told the cops to leave the chamber, but the fight continued.
In the chaos, a DA councillor was allegedly trampled and had to be taken to hospital as he had been injured.
A long break followed after the DA and EFF members requested a caucus and when they returned, the DA proposed that Speaker Patricia Kumalo be excused.
The EFF seconded this, but the ANC disagreed and yet another debate followed.
Kumalo then decided the mayor should rather leave the chamber and go to an outside tent where residents had been waiting.
But it was reported that as the fight broke out inside the house, a punch-up also started in the tent where EFF members were allegedly assaulted by ANC members.
Three injured people were treated at the scene.
Before Masina could deliver his address, a group of traditional healers asked to be given an opportunity to perform some rituals.
The healers then burned impepho and candles in front of the mayor.
They also spoke to the ancestors, including tata Nelson Mandela, to intervene.
Masinga told residents that among other things, they would install a nine-metre bronze statute as a tribute to struggle icon Oliver Tambo.
But those who came to see a fight were very pleased!
EFF members disrupted proceedings, which soon led to a full-on fight with Ekurhuleni Metro cops.
This was even before Masina could begin his speech.
The Metro cops arrived to remove them from the house, but it seems they were no match for the EFF, who hurled water bottles at them.
While Metro cops tried to remove them, the members hit them with anything they could lay their hands on.
Witnesses said they saw Metro police officers falling hard among screams of fear from other political party members.
DA members pulled out red cards and told the cops to leave the chamber, but the fight continued.
In the chaos, a DA councillor was allegedly trampled and had to be taken to hospital as he had been injured.
A long break followed after the DA and EFF members requested a caucus and when they returned, the DA proposed that Speaker Patricia Kumalo be excused.
The EFF seconded this, but the ANC disagreed and yet another debate followed.
Kumalo then decided the mayor should rather leave the chamber and go to an outside tent where residents had been waiting.
But it was reported that as the fight broke out inside the house, a punch-up also started in the tent where EFF members were allegedly assaulted by ANC members.
Three injured people were treated at the scene.
Before Masina could deliver his address, a group of traditional healers asked to be given an opportunity to perform some rituals.
The healers then burned impepho and candles in front of the mayor.
They also spoke to the ancestors, including tata Nelson Mandela, to intervene.
Masinga told residents that among other things, they would install a nine-metre bronze statute as a tribute to struggle icon Oliver Tambo.
