Violence in Cape Town Council Chamber

The Cape Town Speaker, Felicity Purchase, must step aside. Her continued presence in that role has now resulted in a grievous assault on a public representative, all because he dared to ask a question. Her actions, inactions and biases have resulted in violence and thuggery that have endangered lives.

Today’s scenes in Council were unfortunate, but not unexpected. Once again, the Speaker of the City of Cape Town has failed in her duty to apply the Rules of Order fairly and consistently. During the oral question period following the Mayor’s address, a session clearly regulated by Rule 11.2 of the Council’s own Rules of Order, the Speaker unlawfully allowed a Point of Order. That decision alone broke the very rules we are all expected to uphold and set in motion the chaos that followed.

I witnessed and recorded a public representative being choked to the point of unconsciousness, and then some more. This recalls the killing of George Floyd in the United States. I immediately notified the speaker’s table that a councillor was being assaulted to the point where their lives were at risk, and I would have done the same for any councillor of any political party. I have further given my statement to the police as a witness to the assault.

The rules are clear: no Points of Order, no Points of Clarity, and no debate is allowed during this session. The Speaker’s decision to ignore that rule opened the door for disorder. And while opposition councillors were shouted down or named for raising legitimate concerns, members of the Democratic Alliance were allowed to heckle throughout the question session without consequence.

This double standard is dangerous for our democracy. Council cannot function when the Speaker herself undermines the rules. We cannot expect order and respect when the person tasked with ensuring it is the first to violate the rules.

What happened in Council today must be addressed. GOOD will be calling for an urgent investigation into the Speaker’s handling of the session, and disciplinary action against all councillors who disrupted proceedings, regardless of political party.