JOHANNESBURG, Friday 28 August 2026 — The Democratic Alliance has reprimanded Johannesburg councillor Daniel Schay and issued him with a warning after video footage appeared to show him playing a racing game on a laptop during a City of Johannesburg council sitting.
The footage, circulated by ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba, shows Schay seated at a desk bearing the nameplate “Cllr D Schay”, with a racing game running on the laptop directly in front of him.
A vehicle can be seen moving through the game while Schay’s hands are positioned at the laptop. His hand movements appear to correspond with the game as the race progresses.
Towards the end of the recording, the game reaches a finish screen. Schay then appears to move his hands away from the keyboard before subsequently pressing a key.
Audio accompanying the video appears to capture ongoing council proceedings, with a speaker addressing the chamber while the game is running.
Mashaba shared the footage on social media and accused Schay of “playing games in a serious Council meeting that demands attention”.
The ActionSA leader also used the footage to criticise the DA and ANC ahead of the 4 November local government elections.
View this post on Instagram
DA reprimands Schay
In response to questions from Mzansi Political Safari on Friday, DA Johannesburg Caucus Chief Whip Chris Avant Smith said Schay had been reprimanded by the party’s whippery.
“Daniel Schay has been reprimanded by the Whippery and the Caucus have been warned against distracting activities during active Council sittings,” Avant Smith said.
He said Schay had also been given a warning.
The response followed questions from Mzansi Political Safari about whether Schay had been playing the racing game shown in the footage, whether the sitting was active at the time and whether the conduct was consistent with council rules.
Avant Smith said councillors were expected to take council proceedings seriously.
“Councillors must take Council seriously — and we will continue to hold our councillors accountable,” he said.
The DA chief whip said the party remained focused on municipal issues including water, electricity, roads, refuse collection and Johannesburg’s financial position.
He also defended Schay’s broader record as a councillor, saying his residents had a representative who attended to his responsibilities both inside and outside council.
Footage shows racing game during sitting
The video shows more than a static image of a game on the laptop.
A vehicle continues moving through the racing game while Schay appears to interact with the computer. His hands move away from the keyboard after the race reaches its finish screen, before he appears to press a key.
The sequence provides the basis for describing Schay as appearing to play the game, although the footage does not independently establish every input made on the laptop.
The video also does not establish how long the game had been running before the recording began.
The DA’s response refers specifically to “distracting activities during active Council sittings” in explaining the warning issued to Schay.
Schay represents Ward 72 in Johannesburg.
Council rules govern electronic device use
The City of Johannesburg’s Standing Rules and Orders regulate the use of electronic and multimedia devices during council proceedings.
Published council records state that such devices may be used on silent mode and for purposes related to the meeting, while councillors are required to maintain the decorum of council proceedings.
The footage raised questions over whether using a racing game during the sitting was consistent with those provisions.
The DA did not state that Schay had been formally found to have breached a specific Standing Rule, but confirmed that the caucus had reprimanded him and issued a warning.
Speaker ruled Zille shirt was permitted
The footage also shows Schay wearing a blue shirt bearing the words “HELEN ZILLE” across the back.
Zille is the DA’s mayoral candidate for Johannesburg in the November local government elections.
Campaign-branded clothing had become a point of dispute during the council sitting, raising questions over whether such clothing was permitted in the chamber.
Avant Smith told Mzansi Political Safari that the issue had been raised during the meeting and ruled on by the Speaker.
“With regards to the branded T-shirt it was questioned in Council and the Speaker ruled that it is not against the rules of Council,” he said.
According to Avant Smith, the council’s rules are silent on the issue.
The DA response therefore indicates that the shirt worn by Schay was not regarded by the Speaker as a breach of council rules.
DA questions filming from public gallery
Avant Smith separately raised concerns over how the footage was recorded.
He said that if the video had been taken by a guest from the public gallery, the recording would itself have been contrary to council rules.
According to the DA chief whip, only accredited media are permitted to photograph or film proceedings from the chamber.
Mzansi Political Safari has not independently established who recorded the footage or from which part of the chamber it was filmed.
Mashaba circulated the video on social media but the post does not, by itself, establish the identity or accreditation status of the person who originally recorded it.
The DA’s assertion regarding the recording therefore remains separate from the conduct shown in the footage.
Speaker approached for clarification
Mzansi Political Safari separately approached the Office of the Speaker for clarification on the incident.
The Speaker was asked whether playing or interacting with a computer game during an active council sitting complied with the City’s Standing Rules, whether any complaint had been received and whether further action was being considered.
The office was also asked to confirm the ruling relating to campaign-branded clothing and whether councillors are permitted to wear political party or candidate-branded clothing during council proceedings.
The Office of the Speaker had not responded by the time of publication. This article will be updated should a response be received.
Johannesburg heads towards municipal elections
The incident comes as political parties intensify campaigning ahead of the 4 November local government elections.
Johannesburg is expected to be among the metros closely contested in the elections, with the DA fielding Zille as its mayoral candidate and ActionSA campaigning to increase its representation in the council.
The DA’s Johannesburg caucus said its focus remained on service delivery and the financial challenges facing the city.
