The DA says coalition allies were not sticking to signed agreements and sold out to the ANC. PHOTO: Twitter/@Our_DA/Wikipedia
Coalition parties leave DA out in the cold as Joburg joins the list
Parties such as the Patriotic Alliance have ditched the DA to vote against them and handing DA-led municipalities to the ANC.
The DA says coalition allies were not sticking to signed agreements and sold out to the ANC. PHOTO: Twitter/@Our_DA/Wikipedia
It seems coalition parties who joined forces with the Democratic Alliance (DA) are now leaving the blue party in the cold to vote with the ANC in various municipalities.
DA AGAIN LOSES JOHANNESBURG TO THE ANC
The latest coalition collapse was in Johannesburg on Friday when other parties voted with the ANC to oust Johannesburg Mayor Mpho Phalatse.
With the votes of the EFF and DA ally, the Patriotic Alliance (PA), Phalatse was voted out of her mayoral seat during a special council meeting.
In her place was ANC chairperson Dada Moreno, who is now elected to take over as the city’s executive mayor.
In his live response to this, DA leader John Steenhuisen said it is quite clear that the PA is after them. This comes after losing to the party in the by-elections. The DA overtook the PA in the recent by-elections in Prince Albert and Matzikama in the Western Cape.
They have since brought down coalition governments in Knysna, Cederberg and now Johannesburg, said Steenhuisen.
“The blame lies squarely with the coalition partners who refuse to recognise or respect the terms of the signed Coalition Agreements, which they clearly do not believe are worth the paper they are written on.”
John Steenhuisen
The Democratic Alliance needs their partners to be dependable and stick to the signed written agreements, he said.
“These are not mere suggestions to be amended at whim, but binding agreements aimed at ensuring everyone is on board and shares the same values,” said Steenhuisen.
ALSO READ: Steenhuisen to respond to ‘unlawful’ ousting of Joburg DA mayor
ACTIONSA ALSO TURNS ITS BACK ON THE BLUE PARTY
Johannesburg Speaker Vasco Da Gama was also axed through a motion of no confidence earlier this month. Steenhuisen said this was due to the “treachery of individual members” of coalition partners.
The signed coalition agreement between the DA-led coalitions is that the position shall be filled by the DA.
“Then it emerged that ActionSA had suggested that the DA relinquish this negotiated position and hand it to the IFP. This went against the signed and agreed coalition compact, and the DA drew the line.”
He said smaller parties including ActionSA continued to fight 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,” Steenhuisen said.
However, the Speaker position was occupied by Congress of the People’s (COPE) Colleen Maluleke who received the majority of the votes as opposed to DA’s Alex Christians.
“Now the PA, along with COPE’s Colleen Makhubele, have decided to join the ANC’s coalition of corruption. We again urge voters to remember that whenever you split the opposition, the ANC will win,” Steenhuisen said.
ALSO READ: ANC in Joburg excited about taking over DA as new mayor elected
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