Meeting adjourned after councillors smell a rat
THE pest-control unit was called to the Nelson Mandela Bay council chambers yesterday to rescue councillors from rats scurrying between the benches – and it was not the two-legged ones which lurk in dark corners ready to rat on others.
The all-important council meeting – which was meant to discuss, among other things, the appointment of a permanent municipal manager – had to be adjourned for more than two hours while the chambers were being fumigated.
While political parties were replying to mayor Zanoxolo Wayile’s speech, DA councillor Margaret de Anrade let out a shriek as she spotted the rat running between her feet. It caused a frenzy, with some councillors jumping out of their seats, shouting.
DA councillor Gustav Rautenbach said it was unacceptable that councillors were expected to debate in a rat-infested room.
“The DA is disgusted that we must be sitting with rats. We request that the building be inspected by a health inspector before we return for the next council meeting,” he said. “We can’t sit and debate constructively with these rats here. We need to adjourn and find the rats.”
Council speaker Maria Hermans said the rats were a health hazard and a distraction for councillors who were trying to have serious discussions.
“I saw the rats when we had a workshop here, but I must say I was not informed about the problem before,” Hermans said.
She said Rautenbach’s request was not unreasonable.
Public health executive director Dr Mamisa Chabula-Nxiweni called pest-control officials from her department to address the problem. As the councillors tried to leave the chambers at the old Woolboard Exchange building, they were barred by protesting ANC Women’s League members.
The protesters wanted the ANC councillors who had gone against their caucus decision and voted with opposition political parties to remove former acting municipal manager Themba Hani two weeks ago, disciplined.
They locked the security gate and refused to open it until they were addressed by Wayile and Hermans. They finally unlocked it. The meeting resumed later.