By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
ActionSA and other opposition parties met on Saturday evening to discuss mayoral candidate for the City of Johannesburg, ahead of the special council sitting on Tuesday.
In a statement, ActionSA expressed disappointment in the DA’s “unilateral announcement” of Mpho Phalatse as a mayoral candidate.
“This is inconsistent with the sensible sentiment expressed by DA leader John Steenhuisen in announcing the moonshot pact. As a direct result of the DA’s dismissal of the Patriotic Alliance (PA), Phalatse has no path to being elected mayor, and the announcement does not serve the purpose of replacing the ANC and EFF as per the stated intention of the moonshot pact.”
ActionSA’s national spokesperson, Michael Beaumont, disclosed that the ACDP, United Independent Movement, and IFP met on Saturday evening to discuss a way forward, including their recommendations for the city’s mayoral candidates.
Out of respect and mutual agreement over the considered mayoral candidate, which has yet to be confirmed, Beaumont said he would await the conclusive results from the meeting.
“We have made recommendations, and other parties have engaged with those recommendations, but ultimately, that will be part of the subject this evening, and I want to ensure we treat our parties with respect and engage with them first.”
Beaumont said Steenhuisen’s letter addressed to opposition parties collapsed coalition talks. The letter delivered on 22 April expressed the DA’s unwillingness to collaborate with the PA unless they completely cut ties with the ANC.
“It’s like a multiple personality disorder, isn’t it?” Beaumont said, adding that the one week the DA proposes holding hands, joining together, and putting the past behind them and the next it sends a letter collapsing coalition talks.
Despite the DA distancing itself from the potential alternative coalition, Beaumont said ActionSA remained “open” to the pact.
“It was premature of Steenhuisen to announce that parties must just follow and they are the leaders and the only party that can save South Africa. We also don’t want to go into any kind of pact or coalition where it seems like all they want to do is remove the ANC and EFF. South Africa faces more challenges.”