DA hits back after ActionSA serves divorce papers in Tshwane

Tshwane mayor Cilliers Brink’s days in office seem to be numbered as ActionSA served divorce papers to its coalition partner the DA on Monday.

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba announced that the party was leaving the DA-led multiparty government in Tshwane and will either vote in support of an ANC-sponsored motion of no confidence against Brink later this month or refrain from participating.

DA national spokesperson Willie Aucamp accused Mashaba of bringing down an effective and well-functioning coalition.

“The coalition had achieved success and a significant improvement in the city’s finances and audit outcome, a credible plan to secure maximum energy independence and a partnership with national government to solve the Hammanskraal water crisis.

“To show ActionSA’s hypocrisy, they have taken credit for many of these achievements, and their councillors continue to serve in key mayoral committee positions despite Mashaba’s pronouncements,” he said.

The DA’s Brink was elected in March 2023 through the support of a multiparty coalition that included the DA, ActionSA, the ACDP and IFP. He is unlikely to retain office without ActionSA’s support unless he gets the support of the ANC. 

The Sunday Times reported that some in the ANC believe that its national leaders prefer a stable arrangement that involves the DA.

The DA has described ActionSA’s move as “the final betrayal”.

Mashaba said the party will consult with various possible coalition partners “for the best outcome” — but should it fail to secure an alternative coalition government, it can confidently be part of or return to the opposition benches.   

Mashaba said the decision to end things with the DA and consider an alternative coalition for Tshwane was not taken lightly. The party will propose a better alternative to “current abuses of trust, details of which we shall expose at the right time”, he said.

“We shall never take such serious decisions on a whim, just to satisfy anyone’s ego or to simply spite anyone, especially when there is a government already in place that works for the people of, in this case, Tshwane,” he said.

“We have always spoken against unnecessary changes to governments that work but we cannot, with a clear conscience, remain quiet in the face of clear abuses of public confidence through spin, especially where the management of public finances is concerned.”

He said ActionSA will not “blindly” go into a coalition in support of the ANC which it has always sworn to never support.

“The party will never support, nor allow itself to be used to shield corruption and other forms of abuses, irrespective of whom we get into a coalition with.”

Mashaba told eNCA what triggered ActionSA’s decision was discovering the DA was engaging the ANC to remove ActionSA from Tshwane.

“I don’t think anyone would have expected ActionSA to sit back and wait to be removed.

“We went with the DA in Tshwane, we voted them into power so that we can remove the ANC and deliver to the people of Tshwane and do what is right for SA — but unfortunately it’s really been a very abusive, toxic relationship where I think we reached a stage as ActionSA where we are saying enough is enough.”

The party’s conduct towards coalition partners, supporters and the public has been characterised by lies, deceit and betrayal, said Aucamp.

“Less than two months ago, the party was taking credit for the success of the Tshwane multiparty coalition and described the ANC’s motion of no confidence in mayor Cilliers Brink as opportunistic.  

“Now ActionSA, which holds the deputy mayorship and key mayoral committee portfolios in Tshwane, blames its coalition partners for the city’s supposed failures.”

He said ActionSA’s pulling out of the coalition had nothing to do with service delivery, the residents of Tshwane or the future of the city but that Mashaba had counted on a deal with the ANC and the EFF to elect an ActionSA mayor, the calculation being that the party would benefit from holding this position.

“But the statement issued by ActionSA this morning reveals that no such deal has yet been secured, and ActionSA has no plan for Tshwane aside from voting in a motion of no confidence to collapse a functioning government.

“The only way ActionSA’s ploy can work is if its new coalition includes the EFF, enthroning the party of chaos, hate and violence as kingmakers in a new Tshwane coalition.” 

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