Third time in two hours: Speaker halts meeting to cool off opposition

Update Video

GEORGE NEWS AND VIDEO - The George Council has been adjourned for another 30 minutes, for the third time this morning.

The Special Council Meeting started at 10:00, and was called for the election and inauguration of the new mayor, deputy mayor and chief whip.

The opposition parties are doing their utmost to make sure this will not continue smoothly.

Directors from the various municipal directorates are working throughout on laptops, amid all the disruption in the council chambers.

No one is expecting the proceedings to end any time soon.

With the new DA coalition, the candidates for the three posts - from the coalition’s side - are Browen Johnson as mayor, Gert van Niekerk as deputy mayor, and former mayor Jackie von Brandis as chief whip of council.

Although the coalition has an outright majority with 29 votes from the DA, FF Plus and ACDP, the opposition can still disrupt, call for caucuses and make sure no one gets to finish in time for lunch.

VIDEO: The George Council kicked this morning off with a quick adjournment following a heated reaction from the opposition regarding the absence of resignation letters from the previous mayor and deputy mayor.