Mashaba ready to reopen negotiations to take back the City of Johannesburg  

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba said his party was willing to reopen talks with the DA to take over the City of Johannesburg from the ANC-EFF coalition.

Plan to save Joburg

Mashaba said it was clear that Johannesburg residents were not being prioritised by the current government in Johannesburg after the coalition failed to support a budget proposed by the MMC of Finance Dada Morero this week.

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“For us we are ready if the DA can give us a commitment to support us on an issue-by-issue basis. We are happy to form government with like minded parties and remove the ANC-EFF coalition,” he said.

Mashaba said the multi-party coalition could return to govern Johannesburg only if the DA could support the inclusion of the Patriotic Alliance (PA) as a coalition partner in Johannesburg.

The DA had accused the PA of being untrustworthy and putting positions first instead of prioritising service delivery.

“I do not understand why the DA is punishing the residents of Johannesburg over their narrow political interests. We do not understand their logic because they are scared of the PA in the Western Cape,” he said.

Tensions have been simmering among coalition partners in the City of Johannesburg. This led to parties failing to agree on the budget proposed by the finance MMC. At a council sitting earlier this week, the PA said it was being taken for granted by its coalition partners.

According to Mashaba, a DA-ActionSA-PA coalition would work better for the residents of the city than the current arrangement.

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“Johannesburg is the biggest metro in the country. It does not deserve an ANC-EFF coalition,” he said.

Meanwhile, the DA said it was calling for a dissolution of council and fresh elections. The party said that was the only solution to the problems and poor governance and in the City of Johannesburg.