WATCH: Herman Mashaba resigns as mayor of Johannesburg

IN a much-anticipated media briefing on October 21, councillor Herman Mashaba resigned as mayor of the City of Johannesburg.

He said he joined the Democratic Alliance (DA) because he could no longer stand back and watch his country being destroyed by ANC corruption, failure and arrogance.

“When I was approached by the DA to stand as the Johannesburg mayoral candidate, it was out of a deep desire to save my country that I accepted this undertaking. Part of my acceptance of this undertaking was my belief in Mmusi Maimane’s vision of ‘One South Africa for All’.

“I had no political aspirations at the time, and have subsequently turned down numerous requests to stand for leadership positions in the DA.

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“My decision to stand as a mayoral candidate was not motivated by the desire to hold political office, but out of a desire to serve the residents of Johannesburg and to get our City working again. This is why I have always said, ‘When Johannesburg Works, South Africa Works’,” explained Mashaba.

His resignation from the DA will be effective from November 27.

He said he was gravely concerned that the DA he signed up to is no longer the DA that has emerged out of this weekend’s Federal Council.

The DA no longer represents a party that is able to achieve what he desires most, a movement that can save South Africa, unseat the ANC and deliver One South Africa for All.

Without this he was deeply concerned for the future of South African politics.

“The DA has taken a resolution at this weekend’s Federal Council Meeting to question the role of the party in the governance relationship I find myself in, and the way in which we communicate on that relationship.

“This follows the expression of views by a number of DA public representatives that these arrangements are undermining the DA’s message and contributed to its electoral decline.

“I regard this to be the worst kind of short-sighted thinking, even by the very low bar set in recent times. This position includes no perspective of the residents of Johannesburg and what they want for their city.

“This has simply been ignored. I maintain that coalitions are the future of South African politics.

“For a political party to back away from such arrangements 18 months before a local government election that will invariably produce more coalitions, is tantamount to declaring itself to be unsuitable for the future.

“The election of Helen Zille as the chairperson of Federal Council represents a victory for people in the DA who stand diametrically opposed to my beliefs and value system, and I believe those of most South Africans of all backgrounds.

“I cannot reconcile myself with a group of people who believe that race is irrelevant in the discussion of inequality and poverty in South Africa in 2019.

“I cannot reconcile myself with people who do not see that South Africa is more unequal today than it was in 1994. I cannot reconcile myself with people who fail to realise that we have a patriotic duty to unseat the ANC and save our country before it is too late.

“With this grouping of people succeeding in their effort to take over the DA, I have no doubt whatsoever that they will move to collapse these governance arrangements,” he said.

Mashaba said it is not in his nature to wait for people to push him. “I have lived my life on my terms. It is on the request of party leadership that my resignation is held off until this date to afford them the opportunity to identify a new candidate.

“By doing so, I will no longer serve as a DA councillor and therefore I am required to resign as the executive mayor of the City of Johannesburg effective on the same date,” he said.

He mentioned that serving as the mayor of Johannesburg has been the toughest job anyone can possibly undertake.

“I often joke with staff by saying you only give this job to someone you dislike. It has, however, been the greatest honour of my life. I am very much a human being, and will be the first to admit that I make mistakes.

“When human beings are trying to achieve enormous feats of change, they will always make mistakes.

“However, I leave with my head held high knowing that I have been honest, I have fought for the residents of this City and that I have taken every decision with their interests at heart rather than my own.

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“I would like to thank my coalition partners and the EFF for their dedication to the work of delivering the dignity of change to our residents. I regret more than you will ever know that we will not get to see out this term together.

“Finally, and most importantly, I would like to thank the residents of Johannesburg for this great honour.

“I have achieved many things in my 60 years, but nothing will ever bring me the pride and joy of seeing our residents benefiting from the dignity of service delivery that they have been denied over so many years,” he said.

DA leader Mmusi Maimane who was present at the briefing said this was a sad day, however, the work must continue and he thanked Herman Mashaba for his work in the City of Johannesburg.

“The team under Herman Mashaba worked hard to put Johannesburg where it is today. The party will take consideration of Mashaba’s announcement. I respect his decision,” he said.