This morning, Johannesburg Mayor Cllr Herman Mashaba announced his resignation from the DA.
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In his resignation speech, Mashaba said he joined the DA because he could no longer stand back and watch SouthAfrica being destroyed by corruption, failure and arrogance.
“My decision to stand as a mayoral candidate was not motivated by the desire to hold political office, but out of a desire to serve the residents of Johannesburg and to get our City working again.”
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“I believe that the only way to expand individual freedom, and broaden access to opportunity, is to grow the economy and provide more of our people with the dignity of work. And yet, I believe that a capable state has a responsibility to work pro-actively to address the legacy of inequality that persists 25 years after the fall of Apartheid.”
He said the DA was no longer representative of a party that is able to achieve what he desired.
📣 PART ONE: I am gravely concerned that the DA I signed up to, is no longer the DA that has emerged out of this weekend’s Federal Council. pic.twitter.com/ybjU26Byp6
— Herman Mashaba (@HermanMashaba) October 21, 2019
“I cannot reconcile myself with a group of people who believe that race is irrelevant in the discussion of inequality and poverty in South Africa in 2019.
” I cannot reconcile myself with people who do not see that South Africa is more unequal today than it was in 1994.
” I cannot reconcile myself with people who fail to realise that we have a patriotic duty to unseat the ANC and save our country before it is too late.”
“At the heart of the matter, will be the pro-poor agenda that this multi-party government has executed. I have stood in front of halls filled with upper-income Johannesburg residents who, without exception, understand the need to address the unsustainable inequality in our country.
2. #HermanMashaba pic.twitter.com/KmozOXgXly
— Denzil Taylor (@DenzilTaylor) October 21, 2019
“Despite this, some members of the DA caucus in Johannesburg have suggested that we prioritise the needs of suburban residents above providing dignity to those forgotten people who remain without basic services 25 years after the end of Apartheid.”
He added that he had to lead a 7-way minority coalition government without a solid mandate from the DA for the past 3 years.
“From the very first day that I took office this coalition arrangement has been undermined, criticised and rendered nearly impossible. In every way, the DA has been the most difficult coalition partner in this arrangement. Despite the fact that coalitions survive on consultation, shared programmes and recognising the contributions of each member, the DA has criticised and questioned my approach.”
“Despite the DA only winning 38% of the vote in 2016, elements in the party have expected me to govern arrogantly as if I have an outright majority. I have had to deal with people who draw the artificial distinctions between service delivery in informal settlements and suburbs as a binary, an either-or type-approach.”
@HermanMashaba
You are the best Mayor ever. I cannot believe you resigned. This is such shocking news. Why cant you work out your differences?— isabella (@isabellabasson) October 21, 2019
“I have had to deal with individuals who would rather I spent more time on cutting grass than on fixing our broken and aged infrastructure which threatens disaster in our City. I have had to deal with people who did not want me to implement the insourcing programme that has benefitted over 7 000 families and contained contractual costs, merely because it was not a DA policy. My response to the DA was, “then make it your policy.”
“The events of this weekend have left me at a crossroads where I can no longer ignore the internal dynamics of the DA and the continued attempts to undermine my pro-poor agenda in the City of Johannesburg. I am now in a position where I am forced to choose between my party and my country. As a patriot, I will always choose my country first.”
“I am pleased to be leaving the City in a significantly healthier financial position. We ended the 2018/19 financial year with R5.3 billion in cash reserves and a sinking fund valued at R2.7 billion. This translates into 43 days’ worth of cash coverage. Double the 21.3 days we closed on in the previous financial year.”
Thank You for what you have done for the City Of Jo’burg Sir @HermanMashaba You were definitely on the right path. Hasn’t gone unnoticed #HermanMashaba pic.twitter.com/COJeIrcgft
— FreshPrince©®™ (@SirFigo_SA) October 21, 2019
“Serving as the Mayor of Johannesburg has been the toughest job anyone can possibly undertake. I often joke with staff by saying you only give this job to someone you dislike. It has, however, been the greatest honour of my life.”
Mashaba’s resignation will be effective from November 27.
He said that party leadership requested he holds off on the date to allow the part to identify a new candidate.
“I will no longer serve as a Democratic Alliance councillor and therefore I am required to resign as the executive mayor of the City of Johannesburg effective on the same date.”
It’s with great sadness to say this, but thank you Herman Mashaba for forwarding me the opportunity to work under your leadership. pic.twitter.com/7XQJo2Kvwq
— judith madiakgotla (@judithdumisile) October 21, 2019
