GEORGE NEWS - Pandemonium broke out during the Eden council meeting on Friday when a member of the public stormed into the chamber and violently grabbed a councillor by his tie.

The Eden Forum councillor and ex-mayor, Leon Dorfling was verbally and physically attacked by Ms Joani Visagie-Jantjies shortly after the proceedings had com-menced.

An irate Visagie-Jantjies shouted that she is the rightful leader of the Eden Forum and that Dorfling should vacate his seat.
Officials, councillors and the speaker tried to intervene and ordered her to sit down, but to no avail. Visagie-Jantjies refused to be silenced and it seemed as if all those in the jam-packed public gallery were backing her up.

The police and the in-house security were summoned, but Visagie-Jantjies managed to reach Dorfling, and in a fit of anger grabbed him by the tie, giving it a couple of good yanks. Everyone was screaming at the top of their lungs - either in shock or support - but calmed down when Dorfling and most DA councillors walked out.

Dorfling, attending his first council mee-ting in almost eight months, was escorted by a security guard for protection.
A visibly frail Dorfling has been very ill for most of the eight months and recently underwent a bone marrow transplant at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town.

Visagie-Jantjies capitalised on this by hurling related abuse. "Jy’s klaar ‘n halwe lyk, man! Wat maak jy nog hier?"
After the walkout she was allowed to remain in the gallery on condition that she holds her peace.

Visagie-Jantjies defended her actions by saying that she and her fellow members of the Eden Forum party have been used by Dorfling for his own political means and that he never did anything to grow the party during his time as councillor. "We are frustrated and don’t know how to get him to give up his seat."

The outburst followed in the wake of the DA’s plans to seize power from the ANC coalition-ruled council. They had managed to convince Dorfling to join their ranks and it also seemed as if the mayor, Icosa member Faried Stemmet, was back in their fold. This would have given the DA coalition enough votes for a successful takeover.
But, the new arrangement wasn’t long lived.

On Thursday the DA leadership in Eden was ordered to stop all negotiations to get Stemmet on board while Visagie-Jantjies informed the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) that she was the new leader of the Eden Forum and not Dorfling.
Based on Visagie-Jantjie’s statements, Eden municipal manager, Morné Hoogbaard had earlier declared a vacancy in council and informed the IEC accordingly.

However, Dorfling disputes her leader-ship and maintains that he is still a councillor and entitled to his seat. Faced with these contradictory statements from the Eden Forum and in a bid to clear things up, the IEC has sent letters to both Dorfling and Visagie-Jantjies, but in the meantime it remains unclear who is entitled to the council seat.
Dorfling’s wife Gisela told the George Herald that he is very weak at the moment and in bed after receiving more treatment in Cape Town over the weekend. She did say that he plans to lay charges against Visagie-Jantjies as soon as he gains the necessary strength.

Status quo remains
After the DA coalition walkout, DA councillor Sonja Biljohn stayed behind, ensuring the ANC coalition had a quorum and could continue.
This enabled the ANC to vote against both the DA’s motions of no confidence and to reject their own vote of no confidence in Stemmet.
Biljohn also voted with the ANC coalition to pass the contentious adjustment budget, a thorn in the DA’s side.

Provincial DA leader Theuns Botha yesterday kicked Biljohn out of the party without delay, but councillor Wessie van der Westhuizen, who, although he did not vote, openly declared his approval of the budget, was forgiven. Both Biljohn and Van der Westhuizen stressed that they supported the budget because of their concern for the poorest of the poor.
The DA maintain that the budget is mere showcasing and an attempt by the ANC to secure votes in the run-up to the municipal elections.

Stemmet called the behaviour of the opposition reprehensible and said the ANC coalition is convinced that the attempt on Friday to seize power was to shield three DA councillors from an investigation into their alleged attempts to bribe a councillor.



Ms Joani Visagie-Jantjies (right) caused havoc in the Eden council chamber and almost came to blows with councillor Leon Dorfling. Councillor Emor Nel (left) tries to protect a very frail Dorfling. To his right sits a shocked Emma van Eeden and on the far right outraged councillor Aletti van Zyl can be seen shouting for the mayhem to stop.

ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY ILSE SCHOONRAAD