JOHANNESBURG – Officials have confirmed reports that an ANC councillor has died during the first sitting of the Johannesburg City Council, but voting is going ahead for the positions of mayor and chief whip.
“We will just like to inform council that we have had a tragedy in the African National Congress – one of our councilors who was very ill has passed on,” said ANC councillor Geoff Makhubo.
At 6.15pm, city officials told eNCA that the governing party member was being treated by paramedics on the scene.
The councillor collapsed just after 5.30pm when the council reconvened to continue with electing an executive member and a chief whip.
Minutes before the incident, both the ANC’s Parks Tau and the DA’s Herman Mashaba accepted their nominations as mayor.
But just before the voting could proceed, an ANC councillor stood up and asked that the sitting adjourn so they could establish the woman’s condition.
Newly elected Speaker then Vasco Da Gama gave them a 10-minute recess.
Minutes after that, Da Gama asked to meet with party leaders and the process was once again delayed.
Once the council reconvened, the ANC asked voting for mayor and chief whip happen at the same time to allow for a faster process.
The ANC told the council that the councillor who died would have wanted the process to continue.
“We want do it in her honour – she would have wanted to do that. She spent her entire life to secure votes,” said Makhubo.
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