Cape Town – The GOOD Party is demanding that Cape Town Speaker Felicity Purchase step aside over her alleged “biases, which have resulted in violence and thuggery that have endangered lives”.
GOOD Councillor Roscoe Palm on Wednesday, 30 July 2025, said Speaker Purchase’s “continued presence in that role has now resulted in a grievous assault on a public representative, all because he dared to ask a question”.
Councillor Palm added: “Her actions, inactions and biases have resulted in violence and thuggery that have endangered lives”.
The scenes in Council on Wednesday were unfortunate, but not unexpected, the councillor said.
“Once again, the Speaker of the City of Cape Town has failed in her duty to apply the Rules of Order fairly and consistently,” said Councillor Palm.
“During the oral question period following the Mayor’s address, a session clearly regulated by Rule 11.2 of the Council’s own Rules of Order, the Speaker unlawfully allowed a Point of Order.
“That decision alone broke the very rules we are all expected to uphold and set in motion the chaos that followed.”
Councillor Palm witnessed and recorded a public representative being choked to the point of unconsciousness, and then some more.
Economic Freedom Fighters caucus leader in the City of Cape Town, Mzubani Dambuza, was wrestled to the ground and choked inside the Chambers.
Dambuza reported the assault to the police.
“This recalls the killing of George Floyd in the United States,” lamented Councillor Palm.
“I immediately notified the speaker’s table that a councillor was being assaulted to the point where their lives were at risk, and I would have done the same for any councillor of any political party.
“I have further given my statement to the police as a witness to the assault.”
Councillor Palm said the rules are clear: no Points of Order, no Points of Clarity, and no debate is allowed during this session.
“The Speaker’s decision to ignore that rule opened the door for disorder.
“And while opposition councillors were shouted down or named for raising legitimate concerns, members of the Democratic Alliance were allowed to heckle throughout the question session without consequence.
“This double standard is dangerous for our democracy.
“Council cannot function when the Speaker herself undermines the rules. We cannot expect order and respect when the person tasked with ensuring it is the first to violate the rules.”
The GOOD party stated that the events that occurred in the Council on Wednesday must be addressed.
“GOOD will be calling for an urgent investigation into the Speaker’s handling of the session, and disciplinary action against all councillors who disrupted proceedings, regardless of political party,” Councillor Palm said.
