Johnathan Paoli
ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba said the party was willing to work with the African National Congress (ANC) in Johannesburg, only if they removed the current executive mayor Kabelo Gwamanda.
Mashaba was joined by the national chairperson Michael Beaumont, provincial chairperson Funzi Ngobeni and Johannesburg caucus leader Nobuhle Mthembu for a media briefing on Monday in Johannesburg, in order to outline the party’s plans at stabilising the metropolitan.
He said the party’s Senate met to deliberate on matters arising from its review of the national and provincial elections, including representations made by caucuses in the provincial metros about the dire state of these municipalities, especially Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni.
“At the heart of the declining condition of these municipalities is the instability that has persisted in these coalitions as coalition partners, especially in Johannesburg, seek to condition their support for matters of governance based on extraneous issues to Johannesburg and its residents,” Mashaba said.
Mashaba said his party has placed three key conditions on its support of a new government in the city, namely the removal of current mayor Kabelo Gwamanda, the immediate reversal of the R200 surcharge imposed by City Power and the facilitation of a series of motions as part of the party’s turnaround strategy in key frontline service delivery matters, including infrastructure renewal and the rejuvenation of the Inner City.
The party leader emphasised, however, that his party had not entered into a coalition agreement, and said ActionSA will not enter the executive to co-govern, nor will a coalition agreement be signed and that even support for a new mayor would be dependent upon the consideration of merits.
In addition, Mashaba said the arrangement held no bearing over the party’s involvement in the City of Tshwane where the party remains in a coalition with the Democratic Alliance (DA).
Part of the agreement involved the ANC assisting in the resignation of the current African Transformation Movement (ATM) Speaker of Tshwane, to be replaced with a representative from ActionSA, he said.
“While ActionSA’s redefining of its role in Johannesburg does not constitute a coalition or co-governing arrangement, it does represent an important learning from the outcomes of the May General Elections. We can no longer position ourselves in the complex future of coalitions by ruling out even the most base level arrangements of working with other political parties in such a manner that votes for ActionSA fulfil their mandate to serve the pressing needs of residents,” Mashaba.
He also pointed out that his party’s position as it relates to the grand coalition remains unchanged as a constructive opposition, and that its new position in Jozi represents an extension of the national position into local government with the ability to exercise effective oversight.
“ActionSA will embark upon its role as a constructive opposition to hold these governments to account, without fear or favour, because the state of these cities reveals the need for strong accountability on behalf of their residents,” Mashaba said.
Criticising the current leadership of the city, Mashaba called for a return to policies which echoed the ones under his stewardship, including the institution of a skills audit to get rid of cadres, reclaiming the inner-city from building hijackers, the creation of tens of thousands of jobs and housing opportunities as a result, and the declaration of a war against illegal immigration and enhanced revenue collection services.
“We can bring a positive agenda back to our City of Gold by taking action and removing Mayor Kabelo Gwamanda from office. We will also be putting forward motions to rebuild the City for the next 2 years which we expect support for,” he said.
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