By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The DA, ActionSA, Patriotic Alliance (PA), IFP, ACDP and FF Plus held coalition talks on Thursday ahead of the crucial mayoral election in Johannesburg on Friday.
Negotiations fell through following demands by the Patriotic Alliance for Kenny Kunene to be the Mayoral candidate, as well as two Mayoral Committee portfolios.
In a statement Democratic Alliance said, “it rejected the demand for Kunene to be the Mayoral candidate, and reaffirmed its position that, in order to enter coalition negotiations with the DA, the PA would have to move out of the ambit of the ANC in nine municipalities around the country where the PA is in coalition with the ANC.
“During the talks, the DA proposed reverting to the last negotiated agreement in Johannesburg, as the only existing agreement on which an alternative to the ANC/EFF can be based.”
The DA has a clear policy: We negotiate and sign coalition agreements before we move into government. That is why we are prepared to revive the coalition agreement on which our previous coalition government was based, before we were toppled from power when the PA voted with the ANC, “read the statement.
ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont, said if the DA remained serious about keeping the ANC out, it should be willing to back its mayoral candidate Funzi Ngobeni.
Beaumont added since the PA was unwilling to compromise on supporting Mpho Phalatse and abandoning working with the ANC, the only option on board was for the DA to back an ActionSA candidate for mayor.
Shortly after discussions adjourned Gayton McKenzie confirmed on Twitter that the PA “shall never distance themselves from the ANC”.
The ANC camp is also undecided on whether to go with another candidate from a smaller party, following Thapelo Amad’s unsuccessful reign.