Phalatse asks court to interdict special Joburg council sitting
Johannesburg Mayor Mpho Phalatse has filed an urgent application to interdict the extraordinary council sitting called by the newly elected speaker, Colleen Makhubele.
The Cope councillor was, in a dramatic turn of events, elected on Wednesday.
In papers filed at the high court on Thursday night, Phalatse wants it to declare the sitting invalid, unlawful, null, and void.
Friday's special sitting is set to deliberate on a motion of no confidence against Phalatse.
The mayor’s spokesperson Mabine Seabe says if the council meeting continues there will be confusion amongst city councillors.
"There was an objection from to the programming committee proceedings because of its quorum which was ignored, the speakers insisted to act unlawfully and has already given notice of her intentions by calling the meeting to be prudent to bring an urgent application at the earliest opportunity.
"The councillors will not know whether they should attend the meeting to vote which they should do if the meeting is validly called. or not attend because the meeting is invalid and any cast vote is ineffective.
"If the meeting is invalid the entire running of the process would have been wasted and the proceedings will have to be set aside. The normal running of the business council will be hamstrung as a result of the rise of uncertainty."
Phalatse has vowed not to resign despite the efforts to remove her from office.
