Pretoria - In a new low, Thursday’s ordinary sitting of the Tshwane Metro Council was constantly disrupted as members wrangled over allegations that an ANC councillor had cat-called a pregnant DA counterpart.
DA councillor Ernst Botha said the alleged incident took place when councillors were about to participate in the debate about the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children.
The councillor, who is expecting a baby early next year, was on her way to the toilet when she was allegedly cat-called by an ANC councillor. The Pretoria News has withheld the identities of both the accused and complainant because of the nature of the complaint.
Botha said the ANC man cat-called her again, in a derogatory manner, when she returned from the bathroom minutes later. She reported the incident to him after she had taken her seat in council.
“According to my colleagues, cat-calling can constitute sexual assault. The perpetrator sexually objectified a woman, which is totally unacceptable,” Botha said.
He claimed it wasn't the first time the ANC councillor had assaulted a woman. During one of the previous council meetings, he attacked DA councillor Elma Nel, who had to be hospitalised for days, he said.
Council chief whip Christo van der Heever said the DA would report the matter to the Commission for Gender Equality.
He said Botha raised the matter with council Speaker Katlego Mathebe after the complainant had reported it to him. Botha then requested the accused be removed from the chamber.
Van der Heever condemned the alleged act, saying there was no place for such actions in the council. An elected public representative should be an example of exemplary behaviour, he said.
“The DA will also write to Mathebe to establish an ad-hoc committee in terms of the code of conduct for councillors as set down by the Municipal Systems Act to investigate the ANC councillor’s actions and make a finding,” he said.
Botha later labelled the particular member a “rapist”, but he was forced to withdraw the statement.
ANC councillor Aaron Maluleka said the bashing of his colleague was unacceptable because he recently got married.
He demanded that Botha withdraw the statement he made about the councillor being a rapist. “If that statement is not going to be withdrawn, it means we are inculcating a new culture; it means every man in this council is a rapist, including your father,” he said.
ANC councillor George Matjila accused Mathebe of being inconsistent in applying the council rules. “It seems like there is an agenda to isolate the councillor (accused of misconduct),” he said.
Van der Heever proposed that the ANC member be removed from council for 60 days. “As a father of four girls and a brother to sisters, I can’t allow myself to (be) with him in the same council sitting.”
The proposal to remove him was put to a vote and supported by 112. ANC councillors refrained from voting.
Maluleka also proposed that Botha be removed for his “rapist”statement. During the voting process, 89 councillors voted for him to stay against 16 who agreed with the proposed removal.
When asked to leave council, the ANC member defiantly said: “I am not going anywhere. If I leave then Botha must leave too.”
ANC caucus leader Mapiti Matsena said: “We have agreed that the councillor is not leaving. What we can assist you with is that his conduct be referred to the ethics and rules committee.”
Van der Heever agreed that the matter be referred to the relevant committee, along with with Botha’s statement.
Prior to the allegations of sexual assault, it was said that the member involved had transgressed the rules of the council more than three times.
Regarding the debate, councillor Rose Maake, of the DA, spoke about the investigation conducted by Gender Links which showed that 51% violent cases against women were reported, and 31% of men admitted they had raped a woman.
Mayor Solly Msimanga appealed to councillors to show respect to each other.
“Let’s not degrade the quorum of the council. We are all here so that people’s lives can be bettered. More than 60 women have been raped in the last hour and yet we spent that time arguing,” he said.
Pretoria News