Speaker boots DA's Dashwood out of council for comment

DA COUNCILLOR Angelo Dashwood was booted out of the Nelson Mandela Bay council meeting yesterday by speaker Maria Hermans for refusing to apologise for what she deemed a derogatory statement.

Dashwood accused ANC councillor Andile Mfunda of speaking off the top of his head when responding to Dashwood's motion on what he called an illegal deal between the municipality and Amatola Green Power.

Electricity and energy portfolio head Mfunda felt that Dashwood's statement was undermining and had racial undertones. He demanded an apology, saying: "I've been analysing the attitude of the DA in undermining all of us in the ruling party which is led by black people.

"His statement has an element of undermining and racism.

"DA councillors must not push us too far because we'll come back," Mfunda said.

Dashwood refused to apologise, prompting Hermans to intervene: "You could have used different words. Councillor Mfunda feels that your words were derogatory. Please apologise to councillor Mfunda," Hermans said.

Dashwood responded: "I said he was speaking off the top of his head.

"I did not undermine him. It's not derogatory, therefore I refuse to apologise.

"He has his view and I have my view."

Hermans then ordered Dashwood to leave the council chamber.

When DA caucus leader councillor Retief Odendaal asked Mfunda to apologise for threatening the DA by saying the opposition party must not push the ANC too far, Hermans shut him down too. - Rochelle de Kock