Who could be the new mayor of Joburg? ‘We could see changes anywhere the EFF is involved’

The City of Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni are likely to be affected by the formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU) which has seen the ANC, DA and IFP working together.

Currently, both municipalities are governed by an ANC-EFF coalition which has been criticised for failing to ensure stable service delivery.

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Political analyst Dr Piet Croucamp told The Citizen the formation of a working relationship between the DA and the ANC at a national and provincial level could lead to some changes in these municipalities.

EFF out the door?

“We could see changes anywhere the EFF is involved. If the DA lend their support the ANC can govern with the DA and other smaller parties,” he said.

Croucamp said these changes could include the appointments of new mayors and speakers as well as members of mayoral committees.

But he said these changes were likely to happen once the GNU had been strengthened.

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“All the parties foresee that they might have to rearrange all the coalition agreements they made before the elections. Some of that might come after the national dialogue.

“The EFF was not part of the GNU because of several principles and demands that the founders of the GNU could not accept.”

The party’s president Julius Malema has given his support to the MK party, which is also not part of the GNU. Both parties are expected to form part of the opposition in the seventh administration.

Morero to return as mayor

In Ekurhuleni, ANC mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza fired EFF former Finance MMC Nkululeko Dunga last week. This has led to the EFF threatening to pull out of the coalition in Ekurhuleni and pull all of its MECs from local government in protest.

An EFF deadline for his reinstatement was missed last Friday.

In Johannesburg, it was not clear if Dada Morero would come back as mayor of the City of Johannesburg should a deal between the ANC and the DA be struck.

Morero is the chairperson of the ANC in Johannesburg and has been hampered from occupying the mayoral seat in a coalition by his political detractors.

He served as Johannesburg mayor for a short period after the DA’s Mpho Phalatse had been removed.