The DA has been warned to do some self-introspection after losing self-introspection after losing control of Tshwane on Wednesday.
The party previously governed Joburg and Ekurhuleni, but was sent packing by the alliance of ANC, ActionSA, EFF and other smaller parties, the same scenario that played out in Tshwane on Wednesday
Former deputy mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya of ActionSA came out tops against ousted mayor Cilliers Brink. She got 122 votes against Brink’s 86. Sharing 117 seats, ActionSA, EFF and ANC were supported by the Good Party, African Transformation Movement and Defenders of the People.
According to Tshwane-based political analyst Dr John Molepo, the loss called for the DA to look at its relationships with other political parties.
Molepo, the Associate Professor at the North West University, told the Pretoria News politics at local government differed with that at national and provincial, and for the DA to win, the party must be aware of the dynamics within the locality that it governed.
“And until such time South Africa develops a framework which forms part of the legislation in this regard, we are unlikely to have stable coalitions that will manage the metros well.”
Molepe said if ActionSA had a fallout with the ANC and EFF, there was likely to be another mayor before the end of the term in 2026.
“Coalitions are likely to stay; that is why there was step which government was trying to take in terms of moving forward and coming with a framework. Maybe as a nation we should ask ourselves if political parties are still important to advance the interest of communities.
“We have seen in other countries where people and organisations and individuals are voted for to advance their interest. Maybe people are tired of political parties and their promises... Maybe South Africans in local government are tired of promise from political parties... Maybe it’s is high time we look at the new concept of where a Molepo can represent can represent a particular constituency.”
He added that ANC and ActionSA marriage was complex, and cautioned that if Herman Mashaba (ActionSA leader) did not get what he wanted, what happened to Brink would replay itself with Moya. “That’s why I say coalitions are not stable,” he concluded.
Brink meanwhile said the reunion between the ANC and its former radical economic transformation faction bodes ill for the financial rescue mission underway in the City of Tshwane.
“To cover what is essentially a Doomsday Pact, the ANC and their chaotic Gauteng factions have installed a proxy mayor from a small party. The proxy mayor model allows the ANC and the EFF to battle for resources while blaming their poor performance on a hapless third party.”
Brink said Moya would be in the office, but she would not be in power. Her strings will be pulled by the ANC’s Gauteng factions and the EFF, he said.
“This is not a commentary on her skills or qualifications. She was a capable deputy mayor in the Tshwane multi-party coalition which her party brought to a fall. But ActionSA, which polls at 0,5% of national support according to the Social Research Foundation, will be the junior partner in the ANC/EFF coalition. Having delivered Tshwane to the ANC and the EFF, ActionSA will become insignificant in the battle for resources that has also taken place in other cities where the parties govern together.”
He said the DA would work with like-minded parties to prevent the ANC and the EFF from reversing the progress have made in the past 18 months.
The South African Municipal Workers’ Union said for far too long, under the DA-led coalition, the City had been shackled by policies that perpetuated inequality and division. It said the workers and residents of Tshwane had borne the brunt of these inhumane conditions.
Precious Theledi, the regional secretary, said for municipal workers, the election of Moya signalled the dawn of a new chapter. “Under the previous administration, these workers who are the backbone of our city, were denied salary increases for two of the last three years.
“As we speak, many are struggling to keep up with the rising cost of living, trapped in a cycle of debt due to politically motivated decisions that showed a blatant disregard for their well-being. The DA-led coalition’s failure to honour legally binding salary increases has pushed many workers into financial ruin. The dismissals of workers who courageously stood up for their rights will forever mark a dark period in the history of Tshwane.”
Theledi said they would never forget the injustices suffered by the workers at the hands of this heartless administration. The scars of betrayal and financial hardship caused by the DA and its partners run deep. “Yet, with Mayor Moya at the helm, we are hopeful for an opportunity to turn the page, to restore fairness, and to bring about much-needed change,” the union said.
In her acceptance speech, Moya said the anxiety and political instability that had plagued the metro was not lost on her. “But, my vow today is to put the politics of the past behind us and bring stability to the city we call home,” she said.
“Hear me clearly. I am not an ActionSA mayor, or a mayor from any other party for that matter. I am not a mayor for one community or demographic. I am a mayor for all 4 million residents of Tshwane, and on that point I am non-negotiable.”
Referring to the claims that the DA-led coalition prioritised service delivery in affluent areas, she said: “The services received in our affluent areas will be the services received by our people in the previously disadvantaged areas. We will not make a choice between one or the other but work to improve services for all.”
Moya added “I am here to work; work with me” and concluded by saying “let’s restore our great capital and set the standard for every other city in our great republic”.
Pretoria News