EThekwini councillor Eugene Patchapen in trouble after foul-mouthed outburst

EThekwini councillor Eugene Patchapen has landed in hot water after a foul-mouthed comment about the ANC during a virtual council meeting on Thursday.

The session dealt with the municipality’s decision to write off R203 million in unauthorised, irregular, fruitless and wasteful (UIFW) expenditure. This included 80 contracts worth R953 million that breached local content rules between January and June 2025.

The open mic blunder

While Speaker Thabani Nyawose was counting votes, Patchapen’s microphone remained on. He was heard greeting a friend before saying, “The ANC is f*****g around.” Shocked reactions followed, with one councillor heard saying, “Oh my God.”

Nyawose immediately warned Patchapen:

• “We are listening and we have heard everything you said.”

• “It is totally out of order and wrong.”

• “You must report to the Speaker’s office after the meeting to be processed accordingly.”

Patchapen defends himself

The councillor, representing the African Democratic Change (ADeC), later claimed the meeting exposed manipulation within eThekwini. He argued that the virtual format was used to mute dissenting councillors.

“The system was manipulated to silence voices. I had no control over being muted or unmuted. I have proof of this,” he said.

Patchapen criticised the UIFW write-offs as corruption disguised as accounting, saying the money could have fixed water, sewer, electricity, housing, clinics, and roads.

Why he swore

Patchapen admitted his language was inappropriate but said it reflected his frustration:

• Families live on small SASSA grants.

• Shack fires and floods kill residents.

• Crime grows because youth lack opportunities.

• Water and electricity outages are normalised.

“If leaders swear loyalty to their parties while betraying the people, then I will swear at corruption and theft,” he said.

Next steps

Patchapen will be referred to the Ethics Committee. He, however, plans to submit a motion calling for the cancellation of water and electricity arrears for residents.

“If billions can be written off for corruption, then ordinary people drowning in debt deserve the same relief,” he argued.

{Source: IOL}

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