Key Takeaways:
- The DA and ActionSA in the City of Johannesburg have distanced themselves from the mayoral drama and will not support a no confidence motion against Mayor Dada Morero.
- The parties are not interested in getting involved in the conflict between coalition partners in the local government of unity coalition.
- The DA has learnt a bitter lesson from the past and will not be used as pawns in the ANC-EFF-ActionSA power plays.
- ActionSA is open to honest conversations about the way forward in municipalities, but will not support a no confidence motion without a clear and credible alternative plan for better government.
- The parties are focused on representing their voters and becoming the biggest party in all metros in the upcoming elections.
Introduction to the Mayoral Drama
The City of Johannesburg is currently embroiled in a mayoral drama, with Mayor Dada Morero facing a council bid to oust him from his position. The motion, sponsored by coalition partner Al Jama-ah, seeks to axe Morero, but opposition parties in council have announced they want no part in the conflict between partners in the local government of unity coalition. The Democratic Alliance (DA) and ActionSA have both distanced themselves from the drama, with the DA vowing to "blue tick" a no confidence motion and ActionSA announcing plans to abstain from the vote.
The DA’s Position
The DA’s Gauteng leader, Solly Msimanga, revealed that the party has "reliably learnt" of a plot by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) to attempt to use the party as a pawn in its escalating conflict with the African National Congress (ANC). Msimanga stated that the DA is not interested in continuing with the game of "musical chairs" in mayoral offices and has no interest in becoming involved in any other political party’s internal factional battles. The DA has been burnt in the past after mayoral turbulence, with parties fielding no confidence motions with no fresh governance plan. Msimanga emphasized that the DA will not be used as pawns in the ANC-EFF-ActionSA power plays and is focused on representing its voters and becoming the biggest party in all metros in the upcoming elections.
ActionSA’s Stance
ActionSA Johannesburg caucus leader Marcel Coutriers echoed the DA’s sentiments, announcing that his party plans to abstain from the no confidence motion despite Morero’s administration having been "objectively disastrous". Coutriers stated that there is no clear or credible alternative plan for better government being presented, and the motion risks becoming yet another round of musical chairs in the mayoralty, with no tangible benefit for residents. The party revealed that there was a last-minute bid to lobby it to get on board, but it shut the door on requests for support in axing Morero. Coutriers criticized how the motion has not been thoroughly prepared and deliberated on, and emphasized that ActionSA wants no part in power play theatrics.
The Need for a Credible Alternative
Both the DA and ActionSA have emphasized the need for a credible alternative plan for better government before they will consider supporting a no confidence motion. Coutriers stated that given the severity of the governance and service delivery crisis in Johannesburg, the fundamental issue cannot be reduced to who occupies the mayoralty, but must centre on a concrete programme of action that can reverse the collapse in service delivery and ensure residents are front and centre. The parties are calling for a well-thought-through plan backed by a credible turnaround strategy to fix Johannesburg and protect the best interests of residents.
Conclusion and Future Plans
In conclusion, the DA and ActionSA have made it clear that they will not be swayed by power play theatrics and will only support a no confidence motion if there is a clear and credible alternative plan for better government. The parties are focused on representing their voters and becoming the biggest party in all metros in the upcoming elections. As Coutriers stated, "We believe residents deserve better than these never-ending theatrics, and we stand ready to support any well-thought-through plan backed by a credible turnaround strategy to fix Johannesburg and protect the best interests of residents." It remains to be seen how the mayoral drama will unfold, but one thing is certain – the people of Johannesburg deserve better governance and service delivery, and it is up to the parties to put their interests first.
