Tshwane metro coalition might be under threat as Gauteng multi-party govt in turmoil

The recent removal of Johannesburg metro council speaker, Vasco da Gama, with the support of coalition partners poses a threat to all municipalities led by the multi-party structure, including the Tshwane metro.

Political analyst Ralph Mathekga said cracks in the Gauteng coalition government ruling all three metros – Tshwane, Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni – were beginning to show and could lead to a collapse in governance.

Tshwane metro coalition partners recently regained political stability following a dispute between DA and ActionSA about a multi-billion rand energy unsolicited bid.

The public spat between the parties settled after the coalition government said it would have an independent investigation done into allegations of mayor Randall Williams flouting the rules in the proposed energy deal by an Australian company.

Williams also recently survived a motion of no confidence after the EFF and ANC walked out of council without voting.

Mathekga, however, said this would not be the last of Tshwane metro’s problems.

He said this was because the ousting of DA’s Da Gama was made possible by coalition partners’ support and also the vote of confidence to be tabled against Johannesburg mayor and DA councillor Mpho Phalatse.

“The foundations of these coalitions have always been shaky. The coalition structure in Gauteng is not even recognised by all parties; for example, the EFF voted for some of the leaders into power but were not part of the contract agreement,” Mathekga said.

He said the coalition government was expected to have problems; however, councillors within the structure voting against it made this worse.

“There is ill-discipline of councillors, sometimes they tend to defy their own parties and vote against the agreement.

“It also shows political parties are not able to exert authority on their own councillors. It is almost like there are a lot of rogue members that do their own thing,” he said.

“I do not think any of the metros are safe and if this pattern continues it will lead to the collapse of the coalition government.”

In a joint statement, the coalition government pinned the motions of no confidence against their leaders on the ANC and EFF opposition parties.

“They wanted to get their hands on Gauteng metros.”

Coalition partner, ACDP, said an urgent meeting was held to initiate the disciplinary steps to be taken against the two councillors that voted in support of the no-confidence against Da Gama.

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