ActionSA’s Mashaba slams DA for ‘propaganda’

There is no fight between ActionSA and the ANC over who should be the new mayor in Tshwane and suggestions of a row between the two parties is “DA propaganda”, ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba says.

Mashaba said negotiations were still underway and the deadline would be met.

“This nonsense of the DA misleading people that there’s a fight between the ANC and ActionSA over who is going to be mayor is propaganda and misleading information.

DA ‘lying to the people’

“The DA has no shame about lying to the people of South Africa,” he said.

“If you look at some people in the media working with the ANC, they have an agenda to sabotage this.

“That’s why ActionSA took this decision – because of the backstabbing.

“Why are they not prepared to entertain us and the ANC and EFF and why did the DA sabotage and spoil the votes?

“All of this is never spoken about,” he said.

Mashaba said he found it strange that in the City of Joburg there was a bigger strategy when ActionSA and the Freedom Front-Plus had negotiated to support the DA’s Mpho Phalatse.

“In the City of Joburg, we had three executive positions and we were prepared to give up two of our MMCs and remain with one,” said Mashaba.

“Being the second-biggest party in that coalition after the DA, we were prepared to give away [positions] to keep the ANC and EFF out.

“The DA relayed an agreement they had agreed on and now it looks like there is a bigger a genda out there.

“People will wake up to the reality of the disingenuousness and the dishonestly of the DA. “The DA’s propaganda will not stop.

“They are determined to lie to people and, unfortunately, they will be embarrassed.

“They don’t stop lying and misleading society. Their voters and supporters will one day realise how dangerous the DA is.”

At the moment there is only speculation about who will be the new Tshwane mayor after a motion of no confidence was passed against the DA’s Cilliers Brink last week and he was ousted from the post.

ALSO READ: Mashaba denies tension between ActionSA and ANC over mayoral position in Tshwane

New Tshwane mayor a compromise candidate

Political analyst Piet Croucamp said although he believed Brink should be the mayor, the new mayor may be a compromise candidate.

“None of the other candidates will be able to prevent the decay of the value of the supply chain of Tshwane.

“It was already a handful for Brink – to achieve the clean-up process – and he had the right intentions,” he said.

Croucamp said he wouldn’t be surprised if the ANC’s Frans Boshielo ended up being the new mayor of Tshwane.

While ActionSA’s Dr Nasiphi Moya was currently the acting mayor of the capital, the DA has already indicated that it would field Brink as a candidate when the council votes for a new mayor.

According to reports, the ANC’s Kgosi Maepa, who is an advisor to Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi, is also in the running for the mayoral position.

Maepa said he had heard his name being mentioned.

“What I know is that mayors in metropolitan municipalities are appointed via a process and are approved by the ANC national executive committee,” he said.

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ANC spokesperson denies Maepa speculation

But ANC regional spokesperson Bafuze Yabo denied the speculation.

“We have not said anything about Maepa’s candidacy,” he said.

Mashaba said while he believed that Moya was the best candidate to serve the City of Tshwane, talks and negotiations over the position were still ongoing.

“They are keeping up to date with the developments.

“We have 14 days after the removal of the mayor to form a new government.

“So, we are just asking people to give us space to announce the mayor and the Cabinet that is going to run that municipality,” Mashaba said.

ALSO READ: Cilliers Brink removed as City of Tshwane mayor