Joburg mayor: Coalitions must focus on common goals
Joburg’s first female mayor says that with common purpose, coalitions can succeed.
The newly elected Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, believes coalition politics is about diversity management and focusing on common goals.
“Most of the time, we all have the same goals, but we differ in our approach. If you keep this in mind, successful coalitions are not impossible to achieve,” said Phalatse shortly after her election as mayor.
The 44-old-medical doctor was elected in a surprise move, when ActionSA and the EFF decided to support the DA, rather than the ANC.
The metro was hung after the elections, with both the ANC (91) and DA (71) failing to get a majority. ActionSA secured 44 seats and the EFF 29. The Patriotic Alliance gained eight seats, while the IFP has seven and the FF+ four.
According to Herman Mashaba, leader of ActionSA and mayoral candidate, he decided to vote for the DA because he did not want to hand Johannesburg to the ANC.
The leader of the EFF, Julius Malema, said in a media conference afterwards that his party’s vote for the DA was meant as a vote against the ANC, until the party meets certain EFF requirements.
Across the board, political commentators say this move means the DA will have to work with the EFF, even though they have declared repeatedly that they will not form a coalition with the EFF.
“Of course we will have to work with the EFF; we don’t have a choice in a council representing the residents of Johannesburg,” says Phalatse. She is adamant, however, that the DA won’t budge when it comes to its principles.
“I have a history of working alongside the EFF since 2016; we have successfully reached common goals. We just have to keep focusing on those goals and manage diversity,” she says.
Phalatse says she knows that there are concerns about the EFF voting the DA out, but she believes stabilising the council will solve the problem.
“We are currently negotiating with other parties to form a multiparty coalition that will be stable and can govern for a full five years,” says Phalatse.
WATCH: Newly elected Joburg Mayor Mpho Phalatse chats to journalist Izak du Plessis about her take on coalition governments.
