DA and ActionSA coalition in Tshwane falls apart

The coalition between the DA and its former partner, ActionSA, in Tshwane is over after the party’s leader, Herman Mashaba, announced it was consulting to form an alternative government with opposition parties and will take its seat on the opposition bench as the last resort.

Mashaba said the party was and would always be independent, guided by its political programme that is informed by feedback from the communities countrywide.

“This is despite the strategic alliances we have gone into over time, some of which we left as soon as it became clear they were compromising our brand.”

Report justifying ActionSA’s decision

All the facts the party gathered will be released in a detailed report justifying ActionSA’s decision to push for leadership changes in the Tshwane metro government, Mashaba said.

“We are in consultation with other parties to form an alternative government. Should we fail, ActionSA will return to contribute from the opposition benches.”

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Political analyst Roland Henwood said it was difficult to understand the decision and role of ActionSA.

“Action SA is not averse to working with the EFF and the ANC, despite what it said up to now – especially about the ANC.

“The question is how dependable will ActionSA be as a coalition partner in a different coalition to the one it leaves,” Henwood asked.

What will this do to ActionSA’s support base?

“It would be interesting to see how members of ActionSA react going forward. And also, what this will do to the support base of ActionSA?”

Henwood said the question was if ActionSA can ensure a better outcome than what it was party to in Tshwane up to now.

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“A possibility is for the party to be outmanoeuvred by other political parties.

“In the end, one is left with the impression that elite self-interest is the only interest that informs the decisions of ActionSA,” Henwood said.

DA national spokesperson Willie Aucamp said more people have signed petitions against ActionSA in the past two weeks than voted for the party in this year’s general election.

‘Mashaba has turned ActionSA into the useful idiots’ – DA

“Mashaba has turned ActionSA into the useful idiots of anticonstitutional forces in South African politics and, in the process, has jeopardised the future of the capital city,” Aucamp said.

Weeks ago, Mashaba made it clear that ActionSA would vote to bring down the Tshwane multiparty coalition and the decision by the party’s senate is a confirmation of what has already been decided.

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“Despite overwhelming opposition to this move, including by members of ActionSA, Mashaba seemed intent on bringing down an effective, well-functioning coalition that has achieved success in a significant improvement in the city’s finances and audit outcome; a credible plan to secure maximum energy independence; and a partnership with the national government to solve the Hammanskraal water crisis,” Aucamp said.

Less than two months ago, the party was taking credit for the success of the Tshwane multiparty coalition, he said, calling the ANC’s motion of no confidence in the city’s mayor, Cilliers Brink, “opportunistic”.

“Now, ActionSA, which holds the deputy mayorship and key mayoral committee portfolios in Tshwane, blames its coalition partners for the city’s supposed failures.

ActionSA’s final betrayal

“It is clear that Action SA’s turn on the coalition has nothing to do with service delivery, the residents of Tshwane, or the future of the city.”

Aucamp said Tshwane was ActionSA’s final betrayal.

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To add to the pressure of the coalition, a letter from ACDP national secretary-general Cherrel Jacobs to party member Ronald Morake has given him three days to respond to allegations of not voting for the city manager; voting against the coalition; abstaining from voting for the chair of chairs; and absconding chambers during the adjustment budget.

Morake had not commented at the time of going to print.