DA’s Mashaba eyes Joburg mayorship

AS THE negotiations for political coalitions reach a crucial stage, the DA’s Herman Mashaba appears to have already set his sights on becoming Johannesburg’s new mayor – despite losing out to the ANC.

The dust had barely settled on the local government election results on Saturday when Mashaba and his team met the City of Johannesburg’s city manager, Trevor Fowler, to seek clarity on the process for setting up a new council.

And in what appears a strong hint that he is upbeat about a coalition with the EFF to upstage the ANC in Johannesburg, Mashaba also allegedly demanded documents about recent appointments to key positions.

The alleged move has led to fears of a purge in the metro’s administration, according to a source in the City of Johannesburg.

Mashaba admitted he met Fowler on Saturday, but denied he had demanded documents about recent appointments. He said he had merely gone there to introduce his team and get direction on establishing a new council.

“We went there to introduce ourselves, asking him (Fowler) to guide us on the going forward, in terms of how the city proceeds. I can’t afford to lie. Which documents? It was not for us to demand anything,” Mashaba said yesterday.

Fowler also confirmed meeting Mashaba, but said he had merely asked for clarity.

The City of Johannesburg is due to hold its mock council tomorrow, while a council meeting is due to take place between August 16 and 20.

Although Mashaba said he would not purge anyone willynilly, he did warn of a shake-up in the municipality.

While forming coalition governments is proving to be problematic for the three big political parties, the DA yesterday gave the strongest indication yet that it could be edging closer towards the EFF.

DA federal council chairman James Selfe said they had “listened carefully” to what the EFF had to say, and would “be looking for common ground” when they met again later this week.

“This is (about) municipal elections, and it’s much easier, because we look for service delivery, provision of water, electricity and so forth.

“The issue about ideological or political differences is not as paramount as it would have been in the national government,” Selfe said.

He repeated that the party would not form any coalitions with the ANC.

A member of the EFF’s central command team confirmed they had met the DA and the ANC.

Meanwhile, UDM leader Bantu Holomisa confirmed he had been approached by the DA and the ANC in Johannesburg and Nelson Mandela Bay, where his party had seats. He spelt out tough conditions for a coalition with the ANC.

“The results have given an indication power no longer lies in the hands of one party. So we can raise issues like party funding, electoral reform and land (reform). We have a crisis where the president is accountable to a small group at Luthuli House or a faction.”

The ANC was not available for comment yesterday.