Senior ANC leaders want party to ditch EFF in Joburg – report

National leaders of the African National Congress (ANC) are considering ending the party’s relationship with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in Johannesburg and instead joining forces with the Democratic Alliance (DA).

Working with EFF damaging the ANC

ANC leaders close to President Cyril Ramaphosa reportedly feel that working with the EFF in Johannesburg is damaging the party.

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The ANC was able to regain control of Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Nelson Mandela Bay after it agreed to govern the metros with the EFF and smaller parties such as the Patriotic Alliance (PA) and Al Jama-ah.

Johannesburg mayor Kabelo Gwamanda is an Al Jama-ah member.

However, according to a report in City Press on Sunday, the ANC is now considering the DA’s proposal to dissolve the City of Johannesburg’s council.

The City of Johannesburg’s leadership has come under scrutiny in the past few weeks after the poor running of the metro was highlighted by the building fire in the Joburg CBD and the gas explosion on Lilian Ngoyi Street.

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ANC’s proposals

The ANC leaders will approach the DA with two proposals – either of which will end its working relationship with the EFF.

The first is that the DA and its coalition partners, such as ActionSA, the IFP, Freedom Front Plus and the Azanian Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), continue to govern in Tshwane but also take over Nelson Mandela Bay. The ANC will then govern in Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni.

This option is unlikely to be accepted by the DA as it agreed it would not work with the ANC when it formed the Multi-Party Charter for SA with the other opposition parties.

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The second option that will reportedly be offered is that the ANC will support the DA’s motion to dissolve the Joburg city council.

The DA has indicated that it will not support ActionSA’s motion of no confidence against Gwamanda because it intends to rather put forward a motion that will dissolve the city council.

It is likely to need the ANC’s support for this motion to be successful.

The ANC’s support, however, will come on the condition that the DA delays its motion until February so the vote coincides with the national and provincial elections in May next year. The DA wanted to submit the motion on 1 November 2023.

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