11 DA Johannesburg councillors want to join the ANC – Magashule
'You will see more because the DA is not a home to South Africans,' says the ANC secretary-general.
ANC Secretary-General Ace Magashule gives a press briefing on February 13, 2018 on the outcome of the ANC National Executive Committee, in Johannesburg at the African National Congress Headquarters. Picture: AFP PHOTO
Following the ANC reclaiming Johannesburg through a mayoral election, the party’s secretary-general, Ace Magashule, claimed 11 DA councillors in the metro wanted to join them.
The ANC’s Geoff Makhubo was elected as the new Johannesburg mayor on Wednesday after bagging 137 votes. Makhubo replaces Herman Mashaba, who resigned from the position in October.
Makhubo’s landslide victory also means the DA has lost another metro, which it originally won in the 2016 local government elections through a coalition and with the help of the EFF.
Reacting to the victory, Magashule told media that the ANC was the only hope for South Africa.
“People will see and realise that the ANC is the only hope and ANC will never fail them, as it has never failed them in the dark days of apartheid. So, we will continue with this struggle,” he charged.
Magashule said the party in blue was no home to South Africans, adding that several DA councillors in Johannesburg wanted to join the ANC.
“In the DA, there are 11 councillors who want to come to the ANC in this council and at the right time, I’m sure those 11 councillors – black and white – will come to the ANC if they [are] serious and committed to what they have said to us,” he said.
“You will see more because the DA is not a home to South Africans.”
ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe said they were prepared for the mayoral election and that the groundwork had been done to rally the support of other parties.
“We knew that our councillors and those smaller parties, that we were talking to, would not disappoint,” Mabe said.
“What is important about the victory today (Wednesday) is it now takes the City back to the hands of the people.”
Makhubo is expected to brief the media on Thursday on his plans for the City, but in terms of the council, he told media on Wednesday that they would be going through with their motion of no confidence in Johannesburg speaker Vasco da Gama.
News24 previously reported that Gauteng MEC Lebogang Maile hit out at Da Gama after he previously postponed the special council meeting to elect a new mayor.
The postponement decision led to an onslaught of threats from Maile to Da Gama, and Da Gama was even asked to give reasons why he should not be removed from his position.
For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.
