Johannesburg - DA leader John Steenhuisen has blamed coalition partners for the ousting of Mpho Phalatse as mayor, saying some of them refused to honour the signed coalition agreement.
In a media briefing held on Friday evening, Steenhuisen expressed disappointment in the appointment of the ANC’s Dada Morere as the new mayor.
He also called out the Patriotic Alliance and ActionSA for joining the “ANC’s coalition of corruption”.
“If these coalition governments are to work, we need our partners to be dependable and stick to the written agreements they signed. These are not mere suggestions to be amended at a whim, but binding agreements aimed at ensuring everyone is on board and shares the same values.”
Steenhuisen said he was disappointed in the outcome of the “kangaroo-style” council meeting that was held in Johannesburg.
“Ignoring due process entirely, Colleen Makhubele forged ahead to convene a Council meeting to oust Phalatse as Mayor this morning, in a process so flawed that we will challenge it in court.
“After months of efforts to destabilise coalitions across the country, today the ANC succeeded in seizing control of Johannesburg. I warned precisely, a few weeks ago, that this is what is transpiring in the background.
“This was done through nefarious tactics that culminated in smaller parties helping them to conduct the kangaroo-style council meeting in Johannesburg today.
“The ANC’s desperation to get their hands on tenders and contracts from Johannesburg’s R76 billion budget is now clear for all to see,” said Steenhuisen.
A last minute court bid by Phalatse to stop her removal from office was unsuccessful.
Steenhuisen said the events of Friday were unlawful and unprocedural and that the sequence of events started with the removal of motion of no confidence against Speaker, Vasco da Gama of the DA.
“In terms of the signed coalition agreement with all our coalition partners, this position must be filled by the DA. But due to the treachery of individual members of coalition partners, Vasco was voted out.”
“We are grateful to all our coalition partners – except COPE – who acted swiftly to expel their rogue members,” said Steenhuisen.
Steenhuisen also took the opportunity to express his disappointment in Action SA and COPE for acting against the signed and agreed coalition compact during the process of nominating another speaker.
“A deal is a deal. If we revise it, this must occur in terms of the procedures laid down in the coalition agreement itself.
“Smaller parties, including ActionSA continued to agitate for the IFP to be handed the Speaker’s position. After thorough discussion, the PA announced that they would not support the DA Speaker candidate.
“The ANC, EFF and PA voted together to select the COPE rogue Councillor, Colleen Makhubele, as the Speaker.”
“When it became clear that the PA and some other partners were conniving with the ANC, our representatives on the Coalition Technical Task Team wrote a letter spelling out in detail what the coalition agreement required. By then, as it subsequently transpired, the PA deal with the ANC was done.”
Steenhuisen hailed Phalatse as a good leader who has achieved 71% of her targets to date and that there were many examples of how the residents of the city have started to benefit from good, clean governance and dedicated service delivery projects for all residents.
“Mpho Phalatse has been the target of a coordinated attack, not because she has done anything wrong, but because she has done everything right. We have always had, and still do have, the utmost confidence in Mpho Phalatse.”
“The outcome of the special sitting of the Johannesburg Council today has led to much speculation about the effectiveness and credibility of coalition politics.” said Steenhuisen.
IOL