BREAKING NEWS: MASHABA OFFERS DA JOBURG MAYOR POST TO BREAK DEADLOCK, GIVEN THAT ZILLE STEPS BACK
JOHANNESBURG – ActionSA president Herman Mashaba has proposed that both he and Helen Zille step aside, with the DA retaining the mayoral chain in Johannesburg. In a letter to DA federal leader Geordin Hill-Lewis dated 7 November, Mashaba proposed that for negotiations to begin, both he and former Cape Town mayor Helen Zille withdraw as mayoral candidates for Johannesburg, allowing the DA to nominate a replacement who could be supported by ActionSA.
Under the proposal, ActionSA would take the deputy mayor position in Johannesburg, while the remaining terms of a possible coalition agreement would be negotiated between the parties. Mashaba said the toxicity between him and Zille had reached a stage where he could not work in an environment where he felt someone wanted to stab him in the back.
“I said that, for the sake of the country, let Helen and me step back and allow other teams to step in,” Mashaba said. The proposal also outlines an arrangement for Tshwane. Mashaba wants DA mayoral candidate Cilliers Brink to resign his council seat and the DA to nominate a deputy mayoral candidate acceptable to ActionSA. In return, the DA would support ActionSA’s mayoral candidate, Dr Nasiphi Moya, to remain as mayor of Tshwane.
Mashaba also proposed that the DA take Ekurhuleni. The DA received the biggest share of the Johannesburg votes with 34.79%, while the ANC received 20.25% and ActionSA took third place with 16.27%.
In Tshwane, the DA received 34.37% while ActionSA took the second-largest share with 22.07% and the ANC received 20.22%. ActionSA chairperson Michael Beaumont confirmed a letter was issued to the leader of the DA.