Cape Town — ActionSA’s Herman Mashaba has described the relationship with the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Tshwane as toxic and abusive, even though the two parties are currently co-governing the city.
Following the appointment of ActionSA’s Nobuhle Mthembu as the council speaker in Johannesburg, the party has now turned its attention to the Tshwane council.
Mashaba said the party has begun talks with the African National Congress (ANC), despite previous claims it would not enter any partnership with them.
The two parties have joined hands in an attempt to oust the DA from power in Tshwane.
ActionSA, which holds several seats in the Tshwane city council and the deputy mayor position, has found that this influence has not been enough to maintain a healthy relationship with the DA, EWN reported.
Mashaba said the relationship with the DA has been difficult and that the blue party expected his party to dance to its tune every time. He used the words “toxic” and “abusive” when talking about the relationship between the two parties.
“The DA has been in government there since 2016 and we went in with them in 2021 because political dynamics were not what they are today. Working with them has been very very difficult.”
“For us as ActionSA, we cannot be in an abusive relationship forever, so we have the fullest right to exercise our right when you try and abuse us and think we’ll stay in an abusive relationship – not with us.”
He said the parties have engaged in discussions with the ANC to take matters forward seriously and also mentioned the way the DA had deliberately spoiled ballots for ActionSA, and said the DA does not have the monopoly to control parties such as ActionSA.
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@actionsa Leader Herman Mashaba decries an abusive relationship with the DA and hints at ending City of Tshwane coalition pic.twitter.com/i0BfQjSqMZ
— Kgaogelo Magolego (@ThisKg) August 21, 2024
According to The Citizen, DA leader, John Steenhuisen’s aid the Tshwane metro is in a much better state than it has been for a long time and voting for opposition parties would be bad news for the city.
Steenhuisen and Tshwane mayor, Cilliers Brink, had offered support to Ward 92 councillor, Shimmy Mashamaite, in the upcoming ward elections. He said the next few weeks would be significant for the Tshwane municipality as the elections were as crucial as ever and criticised those who sought to remove Brink as Tshwane mayor.
Brink said Mashamaite was the perfect candidate for Ward 92. He described it as an interesting ward with changing demographics. He acknowledged that service delivery in the city wasn’t perfect but they were working on it.
Rumours had also surfaced that Solly Msimanga denied the claims that the DA requested help from the ANC to keep control of Tshwane, following Dada Morero’s appointment as Joburg mayor.
Msimanga has not responded to attempts to get further comment.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
