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The GOOD Party, joined by the ANC and today by ARA, will formally respond to Cape Town Speaker Felicity Purchase’s attempt to avoid accountability by insisting that Thursday’s Council meeting remain on a virtual platform.

The Speaker has once again demonstrated her abuse of office by unilaterally deciding to convene an online sitting. This decision is inconsistent with the constitutional principles that govern democratic processes and directly undermines transparency, accessibility, and the fairness of the debate.

Our legal teams have made it clear that:

The Rules of Order adopted by Council in December 2019 remain binding and require in-person sittings as the default. Virtual sittings may only be used in justified circumstances, which do not exist here.

The motion requires a secret ballot, which cannot credibly or lawfully be conducted on an online platform.

The Speaker, being the subject of the motion, must recuse herself from determining the time, venue, and proceedings of the meeting. A neutral presiding officer must take her place

While residents may technically “log on” to a virtual meeting, the reality is that such arrangements exclude the poor, the elderly, and the technologically disadvantaged from witnessing democratic processes in person. That is precisely why in-person Council meetings are the constitutional default. In any event, it is a constitutional right to attend a sitting of the council to observe it in person. Transparent public meetings are the most basic requirement of democracy.

Our attorneys have responded to the Speaker’s letter, and we continue to take legal advice on whether to approach the court before or after the Council meeting.

The Speaker’s ongoing self-serving decisions regarding the handling of the motion against her, a matter that directly concerns her own position, confirm the very basis of the motion - she is unable to separate her private and party interests from her public duties.

Through joint engagements, we are confident that the Motion of No Confidence will be supported by a broad, multi-party coalition in Council.

GOOD will continue working with other parties to defend democracy in Cape Town and to ensure Councillors can hold the Speaker accountable without fear, manipulation, or procedural trickery.

Issued by Jonathan Cupido, GOOD: City of Cape Town Councillor