A FOURTH attempt to hold a council meeting to resolve a stalemate between the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality and its workers was thwarted in a second day of drama yesterday, as opposition parties walked out and protesters clashed with police.
Shortly after the council meeting started, the DA, UDM, COPE and PAC marched out, saying they refused to support what they believed were illegal pay increases.
This left only the ANC in the council chamber.
Outside, a group of angry council employees tried to force their way through a security barricade at the bottom of Military Road but were stopped by a large contingent of police who used pepper spray to disperse them.
The workers – admin staff from the libraries and traffic department – waited for hours outside the council chambers, mistakenly believing that councillors were discussing their salary increases.
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