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The GOOD Party supports the call for a motion of no confidence in Cape Town Speaker, Felicity Purchase.

In January, Purchase decided to move the first council meeting of the year from an in-person meeting to an online platform. The council session was to table the City’s Adjustment Budget report and other important reports relating to service delivery. A Programming Committee resolution in 2024 confirmed that any council meetings dealing with budgetary items would be held in-council. Virtual council meetings are a result of Covid-19, the threat of the pandemic is long gone. GOOD believes all council meetings should be held physically in the Council Chamber. It’s an abuse of office to deviate from this default and foundational principle of public and transparent legislative meetings.

Purchase decided to move the 30 January meeting to a virtual session without consulting any parties. In an email sent to councillors on the 27th of January, the Speaker said her office had been “advised of planned disruptions to Council proceedings”. It is our belief that the decision was nothing more than a veiled attempt to protect MMC JP Smith and Xanthea Limberg from public scrutiny following the Hawks raid on their office.

The Speaker is responsible to the people of Cape Town and all members of council, including the opposition. She is obligated to protect councillors' rights to freedom of speech and ensure that the council operates in accordance with the rules. The Speaker has violated her obligation by bullying and silencing the opposition councillors.  She has chosen to prioritise the will of her political party the DA. The GOOD Party will support the motion of no confidence. 

We also maintain that Smith and Limberg should step down while the investigation unfolds. Their continued presence could impede the investigation or at least give the perception of being in a position to impede. The council will continue to face the risk of disruptions if questions about their integrity remain. 

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