Tshwane: Brink’s strong EFF warning

Former Tshwane mayor Cilliers Brink has accused ActionSA of bringing the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) to the centre of power in the city.

This comes after ActionSA, the EFF and the ANC formed a coalition to remove Brink and put his former deputy Nasiphi Moya in the mayoral chair.

On Sunday, Moya announced her mayoral committee which consisted of members of ActionSA, the ANC and the EFF, along with other smaller parties.  

Is EFF really in power?

Speaking to The Citizen, Brink said that it is the EFF that now holds the balance of power in the region.

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“The EFF can tilt decisions one way or the other,” Brink said. “Given their track record in Gauteng’s metros, this is bad news for good governance and the City’s financial recovery.”

Referencing allegations that the EFF’s national leadership charges money to give political protection to businesses and individuals, Brink said the city “cannot afford” such a model.

The EFF’s constitution prohibits extortion and the party’s KwaZulu-Natal leadership last month suspended one of its members, Bongumusa Mhlongo, for allegedly using its name in alleged extortion schemes.

‘Move on and accept defeat’

Responding to Brink’s allegations, ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba told The Citizen on Monday that he believes the former mayor should move on and accept defeat.

“Let him move on and accept the reality of his life. His dream of being an ordained Executive Mayor of the City of Tshwane is over.”

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Last week, Mashaba told reporters in Pretoria that he had enjoyed a great working relationship with the EFF when he was the mayor of Johannesburg.

He said leaders of the EFF had not shown signs of corruption while dealing with him.

Meanwhile, EFF leader Julius Malema told University of Pretoria (UP) students over the weekend that the EFF had rescued the City of Tshwane from the DA.

He accused the former DA-led coalition of only providing services for the suburbs and neglecting townships.

“They took all the resources and channelled them in the white suburbs.

“We must never allow the DA to come and govern Tshwane again in our lifetime.”

What now for Brink?

Brinks’s removal as Tshwane mayor has caused some problems in the government of national unity (GNU) with public spats between DA federal chairperson Helen Zille and Gauteng ANC chairperson Panyaza Lesufi.

But he said he respects the GNU and is in favour of it.

“I am a supporter of the GNU, and its pro-growth agenda.

“Premier Lesufi has done everything in his power to prevent a government of provincial unity being formed. He favours cooperation between the ANC and its former radical economic transformation (RET) factions,” he said.

Brink said he will remain in the opposition in benches in council for now.

“⁠I will stay on as DA leader in the municipal council, and protect the gains we have made from being reversed by the ANC/EFF/ActionSA coalition,” he said.