By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
A joint collective of political parties said on Saturday,the DA’s decision to put forward its own mayoral candidate for Johannesburg puts successful coalitions at risk.
Earlier, DA leader John Steenhuisen announced that it would not consider a minority coalition government in Johannesburg, signalling that it would not support ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba for mayor.
ActionSA, the FF Plus, UDM and ACDP said in response they had “no understanding of the DA’s intentions from this point on”.
Cope were excluded from the statement because they were no available at time of issuing statement.
“As a group, the multiparty group calls upon the DA to honour its commitment to keep the ANC out of these municipalities by engaging with potential coalition partners in good faith. The multiparty group believes that it is of utmost importance and in the best interest of the electorate to keep the ANC out of government,” the group added.
Steenhuisen said putting together a minority coalition government in Johannesburg would be subject to the whims and demands of the EFF.
On Monday, the DA will present its mayoral candidate Mpho Phalatse for election as Joburg mayor at the inaugural council meeting.
On Tuesday, it will present its mayoral candidate in Tshwane, Randall Williams.
This was after the DA, ActionSA, FF Plus, ACDP, UDM and Cope concluded a coalition agreement to join forces in Tshwane and ensure that the ANC did not regain the metro it lost in 2016.