Cape Town - A group of EFF councillors forced mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis off the podium where he had just begun making his mayoral address during Thursday morning’s council meeting.

The councillors who had been silently holding their banners from the beginning of the meeting, defied council Speaker Felicity Purchase’s warnings to stop interrupting the meeting.

The banners carried messages with reference to the recent taxi strike, such as: “JP Smith has blood on his hands” and “JP Smith is killing black economy”.

Purchase said: “In terms of the rules, you may not disrupt the meeting, you may not hold posters. Please take a seat.”

When the councillors ignored her pleas, Purchase said: “I’m naming you now the whole party (EFF) for the first time. For the second time and for the third time. Can you please leave the meeting? The EFF will have no speaking time in the meeting.”

From the podium, as the speaker was naming the silent protesters, the mayor, who appeared happy to continue said: “I have no objection to silent protests, Madam Speaker. But I do think that there are some statements…”

At that point the EFF councillors in their red overalls began mounting the stage and surrounding the podium.

EFF councillors in protest at council mayoral address screen grab. Picture: Screengrab

At about 10:15am the speaker said: “Mayor, we will adjourn the meeting while these councillors are removed from the chamber, Thank you. We will be back in 10 minutes.”

The 10 minutes stretched to more than an hour as by 11:26am the meeting had not been called to order.

The mayor spoke briefly to EFF councillor Lungiswa Ntshuntshe who was nearest to him before he left the podium.

Hill-Lewis was interrupted as he was to announce the first recipients of Civic Honours from the council in 12 years.

The honours recognise extraordinary individuals for their contributions to society.

Among this year’s recipients and their citations were lawyer, activist and former Constitutional Court Justice, Albie Sachs, playwright Athol Fugard and social, education and climate justice activist and Archbishop of Cape Town, Dr Thabo Makgoba.

Others were Afrikaans poet, painter and former political prisoner, Breyten Breytenbach, former SA soccer star and captain, and current national team coach, Desiree Ellis and humanitarian and founder of Gift of the Givers, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman.

Singer-songwriter, guitarist and music star, Jonathan Butler and political satirist, playwright and HIV/Aids educator, Pieter-Dirk Uys also had honours bestowed on them

Posthumous awards were bestowed Brenda Fassie, South African-born but England Test cricketer Basil D’Oliveira and social justice advocate and philanthropist, Bennie Rabinowitz, who died earlier this year; Krotoa, the teenage interpreter and who brokered peace between the Khoi and the Dutch in the 17th century, and World War II fighter pilot hero and anti-apartheid activist, AG “Sailor” Malan.

mwangi.githahu@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

READ FOLLOW-UP: JP Smith and taxi strike handling at centre of EFF protest at council meeting