‘I took a 10-minute break’: DA councillor hits back after gaming video sparks backlash

Daniel Schay

Johannesburg – A Democratic Alliance (DA) Johannesburg councillor has come under fire after a video appeared to show him playing a racing game during a council sitting, prompting criticism from political opponents and renewed questions about the conduct of elected representatives.

The footage, shared on social media by former DA MP Renaldo Gouws, appears to show Ward 72 councillor Daniel Schay playing a game on a laptop during a Johannesburg council meeting.

Gouws criticised Schay, saying: “Whilst Helen Zille is telling the people of Johannesburg to vote for the DA, Cllr. Schay is clocking in the laps during a council meeting. Taxpayers’ money hard at work!”

Schay, however, defended his conduct, saying the footage was recorded during a 10-minute break in a meeting that lasted about nine and a half hours.

“Yes, this is me. I participated in every vote yesterday in Council. I escalated 89 service delivery issues. I responded to every resident who contacted me,” Schay said.

He added: “I contributed to the development of future systems for Johannesburg, and I took a 10-minute break during a meeting that went from 10:00 to 19:30.”

Gouws rejected the explanation, responding that Schay was “playing games during council sittings where you are paid to be there and listen attentively.” He added that during his own nine years in council, he had never played a game during a sitting because he “took my job seriously.”

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba also weighed in, questioning the seriousness of some politicians. He said: “Oh my goodness, while one is swearing at residents, the other is playing games in a serious Council meeting that demands attention.”

Mashaba used the incident to broaden his criticism to the country’s major political parties, saying: “The ANC and DA do not take your votes seriously. To them, it is all about power and playing games with your lives.”

The controversy comes as Johannesburg’s political parties intensify their campaigns ahead of the 2026 local government elections, with service delivery, accountability and the performance of elected officials expected to remain key issues for voters.

The incident has also unfolded alongside another controversy involving Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero, who apologised after being filmed swearing at a resident during a community meeting in Tshepisong.

Morero acknowledged that his response was inappropriate, saying: “I would like to profusely and unconditionally apologise for my utterances. It should not have been done in that fashion, and I do take full responsibility.”

The EFF subsequently criticised Morero’s conduct, arguing that residents have the right to challenge elected officials over service-delivery failures and that community meetings should provide a respectful environment for such concerns.

The Schay controversy has meanwhile continued to attract debate online, with supporters pointing to his explanation that the gaming took place during a break, while critics argue that councillors should remain focused on council business throughout official sittings.

Picture: Screengrab

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Compiled by Betha Madhomu

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