Ekurhuleni speaker faces backlash over alleged remote council sitting while overseas

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and Democratic Alliance (DA) have accused the Speaker of Council in Ekurhuleni, John Senona, of convening a council sitting on Thursday, while on a personal international trip.

The parties said no proper steps were taken to ensure lawful proceedings in his absence, resulting in the collapse of the sitting.

The parties said the speaker's absence, as well as that of the executive mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, shows a lack of respect for the council and undermines governance integrity.

In a statement, the EFF said the absence of both the speaker and the mayor created a leadership vacuum during a sitting meant to deal with key municipal matters.

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The DA in Ekurhuleni said it walked out of the council meeting in protest, saying the city is operating without accountability or stable leadership.

The sitting was expected to consider the city’s third-quarter unaudited financials and the advertisement for a new chief of police.

Parties said it's unacceptable for the meeting to proceed without the speaker or the executive mayor and under the direction of an acting city manager.

They say this amounts to a procedural farce.

Meanwhile, the DA and ActionSA were expected to table a motion calling for city manager Kagiso Lerutla, currently on special leave, to be formally suspended.

This follows his release on R30,000 bail by the Boksburg Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.

Lerutla faces charges alongside suspended EMPD Deputy Chief Julius Mkhwanazi in a corruption-related case.