Cape Town – ActionSA has reportedly taken a swipe at the Democratic Alliance (DA), saying its moonshot pact is at risk of collapsing.
This came after the DA’s decision not to back an ActionSA candidate for the position of Joburg mayor.
The moonshot pact is the official opposition party’s attempt to prevent what Steenhuisen has termed a “doomsday coalition” between the ANC and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) after the 2024 elections.
Al Jama-ah councillor Kabelo Gwamanda was on Friday elected as the new mayor of the City of Johannesburg on Friday.
He replaced his party counterpart Thapelo Amad who resigned on April 24, a day before he was due to face a no-confidence vote in council.
Gwamanda was voted into power with a whopping 139 votes, while Phalatse and ActionSA’s Funzi Ngobeni received 68 and 59 votes respectively.
He received the backing of the ANC, EFF and minority parties for him to win the position.
According to SABC, ActionSA said the DA would rather see the return of the ANC-EFF doomsday scenario in the city of Johannesburg than support one of its own pact partners.
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“It’s going to require a complete 180-degree turn from the Democratic Alliance because they’ve announced just two weeks ago – this moonshot pact, whose stated intention is to prevent an ANC and EFF government in 2024.
“And here you have an actual, not a theoretical, an actual ANC and EFF government on the biggest platform in local government. Two weeks later and the DA opts rather for a return of the ANC and EFF than supporting one of its own partners in a pact.
“There’s gotta (there has to be) change from the DA for this thing to have a chance at all,” the report quoted Action SA’s National Chairperson, Michael Beaumont as saying.
According to Sunday Times, ActionSA said it was reconsidering its participation in the DA’s moonshot pact because of the blue party’s attitude during the election of Johannesburg’s new mayor.
But the DA has refuted Action SA’s allegation, saying last week’s appointment of Gwamanda was a result of the Patriotic Alliance showing its true colours.
“As to what transpired in Johannesburg, in our assessment, it’s quite clear that ultimately the Patriotic Alliance stayed true to colours and was always as is the case with them in these negotiations, playing both sides, and decided to stick with what we believe ultimately is their natural alliance partners, the ANC and the EFF,” DA spokesperson Werner Horn was quoted as saying.
DA leader John Steenhuisen recently revealed that five political party leaders had thus far agreed to work towards a “moonshot pact” with his party.
The following six party leaders have, thus far, agreed to attend the National Convention for the Moonshot Pact:
Velenkosini Hlabisa — IFP
Herman Mashaba — ActionSA
Ahmed Shaik Imam — NFP
Pieter Groenewald — VF Plus
Neil de Beer — UIM
John Steenhuisen — DA pic.twitter.com/U6uWZ1pH80— Multi-Party Coalition Advocacy Group (@MultiCoalition) April 15, 2023
Steenhuisen said the DA will host its National Convention for the moonshot pact this winter.
Leaders will negotiate the contents of the pact, he said.
“Various party leaders have made constructive suggestions to ensure the success of any negotiations.
“These leaders share the dream of a strong pact to deliver the country from ANC/EFF doomsday,” Steenhuisen said.
“It is for the leaders to get around the table and set out the vision for the pact.”
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Picture: Twitter/@CityofJoburgZA
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
