Mashaba rolls dice to bring PA into a rejuvenated Rainbow Coalition – and take back Jhb Metro
Action South Africa, a member of the anti-ANC/EFF Rainbow Coalition, today threw down the gauntlet for other members to bring the Patriotic Alliance back into the fold – and immediately take back control of the Johannesburg Metro. ASA's leader Herman Mashaba served notice of a vote-by-raised-hands motion of no confidence on April 25 in office bearing puppets appointed by the ANC/EFF councillors, setting April 25. In this interview with Alec Hogg of BizNews, the entrepreneur turned political disruptor says the content in social media messages postings by PA leader Gayton McKenzie encouraged him to take this gamble. He expects it to spark a new maturity by Rainbow Coalition members – with destructive bickering replaced by mutual respect among its members.
Timestamps for the interview below:
- Herman Mashaba on his relationship with Gayton McKenzie – 00:45
- On fixing the craziness currently erupting in the Johannesburg Metro – 01:20
- On current communication with the DA – 05:15
- On the start of the Rainbow Coalition process in Johannesburg – 10:55
- On the beginning of a completely new Rainbow Coalition – 15:20
- On his confidence in changing the Jhb government to one that is more sustainable – 20:45
Some extracts from the interview:
On fixing the craziness currently erupting in the Johannesburg Metro
I think that we need to really be fair to Gayton and the PA. I think the city of Johannesburg did not really collapse because of Gayton. Honestly, I think if we are honest with ourselves as South Africans and we want to really move forward. Gayton was promised by all of us at the time when we had a multi-party government, we promised him seats which ActionSA offered to him. We were prepared to give him two of our three committees, because that's what he had with the ANC. Unfortunately, one of our coalition partners decided to renege on this section a day before having the press conference. And what is actually quite disturbing wasn't just the question where someone doesn't want to do business with you, just decides to walk away.
On the start of the Rainbow Coalition process in Johannesburg
Absolutely. That is my plan, my wish and not my personal wish – it is a wish for South Africa. I'd really hope that all the other parties that worked with us as coalition partners, be it the DA, Freedom Front Plus, ACDP, IFP – if we get PA, we'll have an outright majority to take that city back overnight. By the end of this month, the city of Johannesburg can really be back into our fold and we will remove the ANC.
But I think the success of all this is totally dependent on mutual respect and to leave our arrogance and our egos behind and just really focus on the big picture. So unfortunately, what really created the problem in the past was arrogance.
On the beginning of a completely new Rainbow Coalition
It's for that reason that for us as ActionSA, we have decided to really be proactive in doing something practical. Let's remove this coalition of looters out of government.
I think political parties in this country can learn and forget this whole nonsense of saying they are dealing with political issues – what is political? We are dealing with public matters. We represent 60 million South Africans. They are putting their confidence in us to act in the best interest, not in the best interest of our political parties.
On his confidence in changing the Jhb government to one that is more sustainable
First of all, I think that any party that's concerned about the current leadership of the city of Johannesburg, I cannot see them really being against this motion because it was brought about by ActionSA because we did not really bring this motion to be the only beneficiary. The people, the residents, 6 million people of Johannesburg, are going to be the beneficiaries. So any party that is going to vote with the ANC and EFF, it's up to them – I have no control over that. Honestly, it is up to those parties to decide whether they want the Rainbow Coalition to remove ANC and EFF and if they so desire it. The beauty about a motion of no confidence is by a show of hands.