Johannesburg - ActionSA has accused its former Gauteng leader, Bongani Baloyi, of throwing his toys out of the cot after his hopes to become the mayor of Tshwane fell through.
In an interview with The Star, ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont said there were notable changes in Baloyi’s behaviour when a proposal to work with the ANC in coalitions failed to take off.
The proposal stemmed from discussions between Baloyi, Beaumont and Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi.
The Star understands that after a discussion between the three leaders, Herman Mashaba was approached to give his views on a possible coalition with the ANC.
According to Beaumont, the deal was that the EFF would take Ekurhuleni, the ANC would take Joburg and ActionSA would govern Tshwane.
Beaumont said at the time discussions indicated that Baloyi would become the mayor of Tshwane should the deal with the ANC go ahead. He said as soon as the deal was rejected, there were notable changes in Baloyi’s behaviour.
“Herman returned along with that public polling that said there is no way that ActionSA can be complicit in supporting an ANC government in the City of Joburg. The important point there is that Bongani was economical about the fact that under that arrangement he was going to be the mayor of Tshwane.
“Before that arrangement was killed, the relationship with Bongani Baloyi was good. There has never been a good relationship with Bongani Baloyi since then,” Beaumont said.
Beaumont suggested that Baloyi’s personal interest in becoming mayor clashed with those of the party.
“When Bongani Baloyi’s interests are aligned with those of a party, things go very well, but when Bongani Baloyi’s interests diverge from those of the party, that’s when things develop,” he said.
Beaumont disputed allegations that ActionSA was refusing to devolve power to the provincial and regional structures. He said the party was growing, making way for measures to distribute power among all leaders in the various ranks of the party.
“ActionSA is every day undergoing a process of devolving decision-making as we get bigger and bigger. We are devolving more and more as we develop further and further. We are engaging provinces, and we are developing an understanding,” Beaumont said.
He said he was shocked by comments made by Baloyi concerning his contribution to the party.
Beaumont further rubbished allegations Baloyi made concerning a man he described as Mashaba’s driver, Bafana Mthimkhulu.
He said Mthimkhulu was not a driver, but was in charge of ActionSA intelligence.
“Bafana is the head of security in ActionSA, and he gathers intelligence for ActionSA. So in that regard, we are not shy in understanding the role of the individual concerned,” Beaumont said.
Baloyi told The Star that various scenarios were placed in front of him by ActionSA, which included being the mayor of Tshwane should there be an agreement with the ANC in terms of a working relationship. But he said the breakdown in trust between himself and Mashaba had nothing to do with the prospect of becoming mayor.
"This is nonsense. There was an offer from Tshwane, and I was asked if I was prepared to be the mayor of Tshwane. There was even an option of having an ActionSA mayor in Johannesburg and the ANC taking oversight. It is clumsy for him (Beaumont) to reduce my relationship with the party to a position," he said.
The Star