DA leader John Steenhuisen said at the weekend that his party won’t be forced into a chaotic coalition with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
As such, DA mayoral candidates will be presented for Johannesburg and Tshwane.
The DA held a media briefing about coalition talks in Tshwane and Johannesburg on Saturday.
This follows a statement, which was released on Friday, indicating that the DA will head up a coalition of opposition parties to govern Tshwane, while Action SA does the same thing in Johannesburg.
The latest cracks in the opposition parties happen while the ANC on Sunday held its extended national executive committee (NEC) to make their final preparations of their coalition deals for major metros in Gauteng and the Nelson Mandela Bay Metro in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape.
“We have consistently said we would rather be a good, strong opposition than in an unstable, chaotic, unprincipled coalition that has to kow-tow to the EFF to stay in office. So it is quite wrong to present the election for a Mayor in Johannesburg as a choice between the ANC and an opposition coalition under Action SA,” said Steenhuisen.
“After our negotiation team reported back to Fedex, we considered their report and re-affirmed our resolve, as follows – we will not go into chaotic minority coalitions that are dependent on the EFF to stay in power.”
He said the party will on Monday, present Mpho Phalatse, to the election as Johannesburg’s Mayor at the inaugural council meeting.
On Tuesday, Randall Williams will be presented for election as Tshwane’s Mayor at the Inaugural Council meeting in the country’s capital City.
“The DA will always keep the door open for continuing talks to enable like-minded opposition parties to find each other and build a strong alternative to both the ANC and the EFF. We will not be forced into a false choice between them and that can only lead to failure,” says Steenhuisen.
As the Tuesday’s deadline for 257 municipalities to set up stable local government nears – opposition parties comprising ActionSA, the UDM, Cope, ACDP and Freedom Front Plus have given the DA an ultimatum to commit to their coalition agreement to put the ANC out of power in Tshwane and Joburg or go alone in contesting for mayoral positions in both metros.
- Inside Politics
