The GOOD Party has raised concerns over the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) alleged use of the City of Cape Town’s Council Chamber for a party-political gathering, while formal council meetings continue to be conducted virtually.
The controversy follows the release of video footage allegedly showing DA members using the chamber for what GOOD councillor Sandra Dickson described as a “party-political, motivational gathering”.
Dickson questioned why the chamber could be used for a DA event while councillors are still reportedly required to participate in council meetings online.
“Video footage posted today shows the DA using the Cape Town Council Chamber for what was clearly a party-political, motivational gathering. Yet the next formal Council meeting, scheduled for 30 July 2026, will once again be held online,” she said.
Dickson argued that the situation raises concerns about transparency, equal access to public facilities and the separation between municipal resources and party-political activities.
“This raises a serious question: if the Council Chamber is available, safe and suitable for a DA party meeting, why is it not being used for the democratic business of Council?” she said.
According to Dickson, councillors should be debating key issues affecting residents, including budgets, service delivery, land-use decisions and governance matters, in person and in full public view.
“Councillors should be able to debate the City’s budget, services, land decisions and governance face-to-face, in full public view, not continually from behind computer screens,” she said
But the DA has hit back, saying any party could rent the Council Chambers.
“The DA has used the Council Chamber many times in the past and had always booked and paid the full venue hire price for the chamber. We cover the cleaning costs, electricity, etc.,” the party said in a statement.
“In fact, any party can hire the Chamber venue. The GOOD party knows that after using the venue themselves as the photos show.”
The DA sent the following picture to IOL, which shows the GOOD party using the chambers for an event on February 1, 2025.
Image: Supplied
The GOOD Party is calling on the City and the DA to disclose who authorised the use of the chamber, whether the party paid the required venue and service costs, and whether municipal resources were used to support the event.
“The City and the DA must disclose who authorised the use of the chamber, whether the DA paid the applicable venue and service costs, and who covered security, technical support, cleaning, staff time and any other municipal resources used,” Dickson said.
She added that the City should also clarify whether opposition parties would be granted access to the chamber on the same terms.
“This is about more than a venue. It is about the proper separation between City resources and DA party resources, equal treatment of political parties, transparency, and respect for the institution of Council.”
The GOOD Party has called on the Speaker and the City administration to urgently disclose the nature of the event held in the chamber, who approved it, under which policy it was authorised, whether the DA formally booked and paid for the venue, and why council meetings remain virtual.
“Until these facts are provided, the perception will understandably be that one set of rules applies to the DA and another to opposition councillors,” Dickson said.
She maintained that the Council Chamber should primarily serve the democratic functions of the municipality.
“The Council Chamber should first and foremost be used to conduct the public and democratic business of the City. If it is available for an internal political meeting, there can be no credible justification for continuing to keep Council itself out of the chamber.”
