Mashaba has given the DA an ultimatum if the party wants to govern Joburg.
Following ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba’s meeting with DA leader Gerodin Hill-Lewis on Thursday, questions have been raised about Helen Zille’s future in Johannesburg.
It is not clear where the meeting took place. But Mashaba described the meeting as ” frank and productive” on his X account.
This meeting is significant because of an offer Mashaba had made to the DA for the three metros in Gauteng.
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He had one condition: that Helen Zille and Cillier step aside as mayoral candidates. He said he would also do the same in the City of Johannesburg.
Mystery after the big meeting
The Citizen has reached out to Mashaba and Hill-Lewis’s office to find out whether the DA will honour Mashaba’s demands, but has received no comment from either side.
Mashaba and Zille have had a tense relationship since Mashaba resigned as mayor of Johannesburg in 2019. He described their relationship as toxic.
Analyst weighs in
The Citizen on Friday spoke to Theo Neethling, a political analyst, about the possibility of the DA conceding to Mashaba’s demands.
“It would be highly problematic if whatever party or leader would ask Helen Zille to step aside. Herman Mashaba risks overplaying his hand by making his personal aversion to Helen Zille a condition for cooperation between ActionSA and the DA,” said Neethling.
Neethling said Mashaba’s proposal might appear to be a compromise at first glance, but it places the DA in a difficult position.
“The DA secured the largest share of the vote in Johannesburg, and Zille’s prominent role in the election campaign cannot be underestimated.
“It would therefore be politically odd for the DA to replace her simply to accommodate Mashaba’s personal objections.”
At the same time, Neethling said if Mashaba truly desires a workable coalition, he will need to separate his personal grievances from the broader political interest.
“Ultimately, the interests of Johannesburg’s residents, rather than the personal relationships between political leaders, should be the deciding factor.
“Thus, while Mashaba’s proposal is not necessarily irrational, his insistence on Zille’s withdrawal could prove to be a strategic error,” he said.
Neethling said the DA should certainly allow space for serious discussions regarding coalition governance and mutual trust.
“But it need not sacrifice its choice of candidate to facilitate a coalition with ActionSA. The ultimate test is whether both parties are prepared to subordinate personal animosity to the goals of stable governance and improved service delivery.”
Meanwhile, the DA continues to meet with other parties for coalition talks, including the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party.
