Councillor kicked out after race row flares

A proposal by the DA to beef up security in Nelson Mandela Bay’s Baakens Valley and Settlers Park Nature Reserve turned into a racial spat yesterday, with a top party member being kicked out of a committee meeting.

The heated argument started after DA chief whip in council Gustav Rautenbach told public health committee chairwoman Pat Ndlovu to learn her rules of order.

This came after she refused to allow him a right to reply to his motion for increased security, saying he was not a committee member.

The ANC and UDM also wanted to know why Rautenbach was championing security at a park in a predominantly “white area” and not also for parks in the so-called black and coloured areas.

Councillors said Rautenbach chanted that “2016 is coming” and “change is coming”, referring to next year’s local government elections which are expected to be a tough battle between the ANC and DA.

-Rochelle de Kock