Zille claims ANC blue-ticking her is evidence that it is divided over Tshwane

DA federal chairperson Helen Zille on Tuesday said the ANC is divided over the governance of Tshwane.

Zille thinks ANC officials ignoring her messages is proof of this.

“The ANC has not come back me. This is a clear indication that they are very divided internally, so when the ANC does not come back it means that there is no agreement,” she said in an interview with Newzroom Afrika on Tuesday.

New Tshwane mayor to be elected

The Tshwane council is expected to elect a new mayor on Wednesday, after the DA’s Cilliers Brink was removed.

Zille confirmed that the ANC has not committed to voting with the DA on Wednesday, despite WhatsApp chats and formal engagements.

The DA federal chair continued to claim that the ANC in Gauteng has been rebelling against its national leaders on issues such as municipal and provincial coalitions.

“My understanding is the national ANC was keen to have stability pacts in all the major metros that means we would leave the ANC’s mayor in Ekurhuleni and they would leave our mayor in Tshwane,” she said.

Watch: Zille’s interview with Newzroom Afrika

According to her, this has created tension between the ANC’s provincial chair Panyaza Lesufi and the party’s senior leaders.

“Obviously there is huge tension between Panyaza Lesufi and the ANC that is why he was summoned to Luthuli house on Monday,” Zille said.

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has since said the party’s officials accepted Lesufi’s explanation for what was perceived to be negative comments on the government of national unity (GNU).

ALSO READ: Lesufi back on X after being summoned to Luthuli House

It is still not clear if the ANC will field its own candidate for the mayoral position or if it will support ActionSA’s candidate, Nasiphi Moya.

There are concerns that the City of Tshwane could end up with a minority government should the ANC and ActionSA fail to form a coalition in Tshwane.

Zille’s threat about other municipalities

The ANC’s failure to support Brink’s return as Tshwane mayor could be detrimental for negotiations in other municipalities.

Zille said there are talks at a national level between the DA and the ANC to form a stability pact in several municipalities around the country.

These include, Nelson Mandela Bay, Ekurhuleni, and eThekwini and Tshwane.

ALSO READ: Zille and Lesufi’s power struggle threatens to derail GNU

“There won’t be a stability pact unless Cilliers Brink is re-elected,” Zille said.