Picture File: Herman Mashaba speaks near Bree Taxi Rank in Johannesburg as ActionSA launches their first government election campaign, 9 September 2021. Picture: Neil McCartney
ActionSA has welcomed the commitment by the Democratic Alliance (DA) to form a united opposition coalition bloc ahead of the much-anticipated 2024 general elections.
ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has, however, warned the DA that the process should not be a DA-led process.
This comes after re-elected DA leader John Steenhuisen announced at the party’s federal congress on Sunday that the official opposition party would initiate a process to form a pre-election “moonshot pact” with like-minded political parties, civil society organisations, and civic movements.
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Steenhuisen said the formal agreement would be aimed at preventing the African National Congress (ANC) from forming a national coalition government with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) amid predictions that the ANC’s electoral support could dip below 50% next year.
“This invitation is broad and generously open to the leaders of all civil society bodies and opposition parties that are, as a matter of principle, opposed to the ANC and the EFF.
“But it excludes all parties and organisations who’ve tethered themselves to the ANC,” said Steenhuisen.
In a statement on Monday, Mashaba said for a “grand coalition” against the ANC to succeed in forming a stable government, coalition partners must approach these discussions in a spirit of mutual respect and humility.
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He said urged Steenhuisen not to make the project about the DA or his leadership.
“Ultimately, we would remind Mr Steenhuisen that the voters will have their say next year, and this will determine the proportionality of representation in such a coalition, and any considerations of leadership.
“These are the kind of political questions that have the ability to derail this venture and must be avoided at all costs,” said Mashaba.
The ActionSA leader called on the DA to engage as equal partners and focus on building a strong and united coalition platform that paves the way for a stable and effective government.
“We also welcome the remarks made by Mr Steenhuisen in which he appeared to distance the DA from plans to work with the ANC, and instead embrace the idea of working with like-minded opposition parties to present a united front to voters in the 2024 general elections.”
Mashaba further said ActionSA together with the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus), and the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) were already involved in discussions towards forming a united coalition bloc in 2024 for some time now.
He added that ActionSA had long maintained that to fix South Africa, opposition parties “cannot partner with those who broke it in the first place”.
Mashaba also congratulated Steenhuisen on his reelection for another four years as DA federal leader.
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