DA-councillors side with ActionSA to keep ANC-EFF coalition out of Johannesburg

5 May 2023

ActionSA thanks the City of Johannesburg DA councillors who sided with ActionSA, IFP, ACDP, VF+ and UIM to keep the ANC-EFF out of the City of Johannesburg by voting for Funzi Ngobeni as mayor.

The DA councillors' commitment to keeping the ANC-EFF out of power by voting with the multi-party block is the type of leadership necessary to unseat the ANC in 2024, and restore South Africa to a path of prosperity.

Without opposition parties working together and putting asides personal egos, it will be impossible to form a stable multi-party government in 2024.

The City of Johannesburg Council Mayoral elections showed that out of the DA’s 71 councillors in council, only 68 councillors voted for the DA’s Mpho Phalatse as mayor - which means that 3 councillors possibly deflected and voted for Ngobeni.

ActionSA thanks our partners in the IFP, ACDP, VF+ and UIM for voting for Ngobeni - who received 59 votes - thereby trying to keep the ANC-EFF out of power. This grouping of political parties has shown what is possible when political parties work together for the best interest of residents.

We ask that the DA - who was left alone amongst opposition benches in council today - reconsider its approach to coalitions, especially if it would like to see the removal of the ANC in 2024.

ActionSA also congratulates Al Jamah’s Kabelo Gwamanda on his election as mayor and vows to be a constructive opposition in the City of Johannesburg to ensure that all residents receive quality service delivery.

We urge Mayor Gwamanda to prioritise service delivery to the more than five million residents of the City of Johannesburg who are desperate amidst bouts of load shedding and water shedding while roads are deteriorating.

Issued by Michael Beaumont, ActionSA National Chairperson, 5 May 2023