The ANC in Johannesburg says that national issues that were debated during the local elections cost them votes in the country’s economic hub.
The party has suffered a major loss in Johannesburg‚ gaining less than 50% of the vote in the local government elections‚ leading it to seek out coalitions with other parties to govern the city.
“To a large extent one of the issues that we’ve identified is the reality that the message of local government was drowned in these elections. The issue about the discourse being about local government was drowned in debates that were not necessarily on issues of local government‚” said the region’s chairman Parks Tau.
On Sunday the region held a briefing in Johannesburg‚ ahead of the city’s inaugural council meeting on Monday.
Elections results have placed ANC leadership of Joburg on uncertain ground‚ Tau acknowledges
Johannesburg residents will find out who their mayor is on Monday‚ when the city has its inaugural council meeting.
Tau‚ who may no longer be the city’s mayor come Monday‚ said he was ready to serve the city as the opposition.
He said the party the ANC entered into a coalition with would have to be one that was serious about transforming Johannesburg.
“As the ANC regional committee‚ we can confirm that we will not be engaging with any political party that represents an agenda that seeks to reverse the democratic gains achieved since 1994‚” Tau said.
He remained tight-lipped on how coalition negotiations were going‚ saying that the ANC would continue to talk to other parties until the last minute.
“We are still in negotiations‚ the discussions have been ongoing‚ I can confirm that up until last night we were still in negotiations with other parties. So we are not in a position to say that it has been confirmed at this stage‚” said Tau.
He said as the party with the largest number of councillors in Johannesburg‚ the ANC would continue to engage with other parties.
The chairman would not be drawn into talk about the DA’s mayoral candidate Herman Mashaba‚ only saying that he was “a nice guy“.
The EFF refused to give the DA its vote in Johannesburg after the DA refused to remove Mashaba as mayoral candidate.
This has cost the DA the majority it would have earned in the city as a result of the partnership.
ANC says local elections embroiled in national issues
The ANC in Johannesburg says that national issues that were debated during the local elections cost them votes in the country’s economic hub.
The party has suffered a major loss in Johannesburg‚ gaining less than 50% of the vote in the local government elections‚ leading it to seek out coalitions with other parties to govern the city.
“To a large extent one of the issues that we’ve identified is the reality that the message of local government was drowned in these elections. The issue about the discourse being about local government was drowned in debates that were not necessarily on issues of local government‚” said the region’s chairman Parks Tau.
On Sunday the region held a briefing in Johannesburg‚ ahead of the city’s inaugural council meeting on Monday.
Elections results have placed ANC leadership of Joburg on uncertain ground‚ Tau acknowledges
Johannesburg residents will find out who their mayor is on Monday‚ when the city has its inaugural council meeting.
Tau‚ who may no longer be the city’s mayor come Monday‚ said he was ready to serve the city as the opposition.
He said the party the ANC entered into a coalition with would have to be one that was serious about transforming Johannesburg.
“As the ANC regional committee‚ we can confirm that we will not be engaging with any political party that represents an agenda that seeks to reverse the democratic gains achieved since 1994‚” Tau said.
He remained tight-lipped on how coalition negotiations were going‚ saying that the ANC would continue to talk to other parties until the last minute.
“We are still in negotiations‚ the discussions have been ongoing‚ I can confirm that up until last night we were still in negotiations with other parties. So we are not in a position to say that it has been confirmed at this stage‚” said Tau.
He said as the party with the largest number of councillors in Johannesburg‚ the ANC would continue to engage with other parties.
The chairman would not be drawn into talk about the DA’s mayoral candidate Herman Mashaba‚ only saying that he was “a nice guy“.
The EFF refused to give the DA its vote in Johannesburg after the DA refused to remove Mashaba as mayoral candidate.
This has cost the DA the majority it would have earned in the city as a result of the partnership.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Latest Videos