Speaker puts his foot down

GEORGE NEWS - Warnings to councillors of the EFF, PBI and ANC flew left, right and centre at the George council meeting last Thursday, 30 March.

PBI's Virgill Gericke and ANC Chief Whip Faith Mdaka received two warnings each, EFF's Luvoyo Ncamile received a warning and EFF Councillor Pheliswa Qampi was removed during the meeting. Qampi returned during the special confidential meeting and, together with Ncamile, received another warning.

Speaker Sean Snyman said it has been his intention as chair of council for the past 16 months to reinstate discipline and to ensure that council meetings are used to discuss the business of the day, and not for personal vendettas or show boating.

"It is no secret that councillors have been called to order and given warnings at most meeting as every meeting has been live-streamed publicly on YouTube. If one looks back at the recordings it is clear a pattern has emerged, and certain names are regularly on the list of transgressors," said Snyman.

"Transgressions include, for instance, speaking when another councillor has the floor, not accepting a ruling of the speaker and not following the correct process to raise a point of order or clarity. Councillors get warnings and are finally removed from the meeting when there is a continuous transgression of the rules."

ANC Chief Whip Faith Mdaka said the warnings by the speaker are unwarranted and unfortunate. "The speaker must recognise inputs from all councillors, irrespective of political affiliations. It is unfair for a speaker to silence inputs of other councillors and only recognise those of the Democratic Alliance."

Mdaka said virtual platforms are unacceptable. "We have been requesting council meetings to be convened physically to broaden participation by all councillors. The ANC views the speaker's warning to ANC councillors as political harassment and intimidation."

ANC Chief Whip Faith Mdaka

PBI leader Virgill Gericke said council meetings have long lost respect and dignity under the current speaker. "He [Snyman] is under the impression that opposition councillors are his subordinates in a classroom. He hides behind the rules of order which are in many respects unconstitutional. This was even pointed out to him by Helen Zille's team on a recent visit. The speaker of a municipal council should act impartially and independently at all times. He is seeing opposition councillors as enemies and trouble makers," Gericke said.

"It is easier for him to warn, mute or eject us than to debate on critical issues of service delivery, clean governance, accountability, equality and democracy."

PBI's Virgill Gericke

Snyman said debate means taking a position on an item, either for or against, and convincing the opposition of your position. "It does not mean to belittle, degrade, and disrespect and that is what the chairperson of Council is trying to establish. Each party is allocated speaking times in a meeting and that time should be used exclusively to discuss the item on the agenda. If councillors disrespect that, it is the duty of any speaker to call them to order."

Full comment from Speaker Sean Snyman:

The Ordinary Council Meeting held on Thursday 30 March 2023, was unfortunately no different to any other meeting, with the same councillors continuously disrespecting the proceedings of the day and interjecting unnecessarily. For the past 16 months it has been my intention as chairperson of Council to reinstate discipline and to ensure that Council is used to discuss the business of the day, and not for personal vendettas or for show boating.

The role of Speaker is regulated by the Municipal Structures Act (MSA) and the Rules of Order, which were adopted by council early in the political term, are very clear on how to conduct oneself in council and during meetings of council. The Rules of Order contain the parameters within which councillors are to participate actively in debate to ensure that the business of the day is sufficiently dealt with. This then also to ensure, that councillors adhere to the Code of Conduct for Councillors, not only during council but in their general day to day work.

It is no secret that councillors have been called to order and given warnings at most meeting as every meeting has been live streamed publicly on You Tube. If one looks back at the recordings it is clear a pattern has emerged, and certain names are regularly on the list of transgressors. During the Ordinary Council Meeting of March 2023, Ald Virgill Gericke received 2 warnings, Cllr Faith Mdaka 2 warnings, Cllr Luvoyo Ncamile 1 warning and Councillor Pheliswa Qampi was removed during the Ordinary meeting. Cllr Qampi returned during the Special Confidential Meeting and together with Cllr Ncamile both received another warning.

Transgressions include for instance, speaking when another councillor has the floor, not accepting a ruling of the Speaker, not following the correct process to raise a point of order or clarity, etc. Councillors get warnings and are finally removed from the meeting when there is a continuous transgression of the Rules.

It is a sad day for the residents of a city when the elected Public Servants show little or no respect for rules or regulations taking into consideration that every Councillor has been given a Copy of the rules which explain explicitly how the meeting is to be conducted as per Rules 4 & 5. Conduct at Meetings. (See attached) Neither the Speaker nor the Speaker’s office had any input into the drafting of these rules, and it is merely the duty of the Chair to ensure that they are adhered to.

As Speaker, I believe that Councillors who are Public Servants have a duty to use all meetings of Council to serve all the residents of George by discussing the items on the agenda in a manner which is constructive and respectful to all. Telling a colleague, an employee or for that matter anybody what your personal feelings are towards them has no bearing on a meeting. Debate means taking a position on an item, either for or against and convincing the opposition of your position, it does not mean to belittle, degrade, and disrespect, and that is what the chairperson of council is trying to establish. Each party is allocated speaking times in a meeting and that time should be used exclusively to discuss the item on the agenda. If councillors’ disrespect that, it is the duty of any Speaker to call them to order.

Finally, in this term there have been numerous councillors representing all parties in Council, who have been removed from meetings and the office of the Speaker remains committed to being impartial. The Speaker’s office is legislated to maintain the regulations and ensure that councillors do not bring the municipality into disrepute.

PBI's full comment from their leader, Virgill Gericke:

Council meetings have long lost respect and dignity under the current speaker. He is under the impression that opposition Councillors are his subordinates in a classroom. He hides behind the rules of order which are in many respects unconstitutional. This was even pointed out to him by Helen Zille's team on a recent visit. The speaker of a Municipal Council should act impartial and independent at all times. He is seeing opposition Councillors as enemies and trouble makers. This man is not understanding our Constitutional democracy and still lives in the old apartheid era. He is continuing to have virtual council meetings, even when his own party leaders have instructed him to normalise council proceedings. This is done conveniently for him and his cronies, since they do not want to be held accountable on issues of governance. It is easier for him to warn, mute or eject us than to debate on critical issues of service delivery, clean governance, accountability, equality and democracy. The DA must start to put people in positions who show respect for diverse political views racial tolerance. George is definitely sitting on a timebomb with what's currently happening in the George council. We will not tolerate the humiliation and apartheid style tactics any longer. The DA is requested to remove this speaker with immediate effect if they are serious in taking the entire city forward.

ANC's full comment from their chief whip, Faith Mdaka:

The warnings by the Council Speaker are unwarranted and unfortunate. The Speaker has a legislative responsibility to oversee Council meetings that are conducted fairly and objectively in an open and democratic society. The Speaker must recognise inputs from all Councillors irrespective of political affiliations. It is unfair for a Speaker to silence inputs of other Councillors and only recognise those of the Democratic Alliance.

Virtual platforms are unacceptable and we have been requesting Council meetings to be convened physically to broaden participation by all Councillors. The ANC views Speaker's warning to ANC Councillors as political harassment and intimidation.

Luvuyo Ncamile of the EFF