ActionSA pushes to block Helen Zille as Joburg mayor

ActionSA, a party that performed well in recent local government elections, is urging the Democratic Alliance (DA) to drop Helen Zille as its mayoral candidate for Johannesburg. Instead, ActionSA wants the DA to appoint its leader, Herman Mashaba, to the position. According to an ActionSA source, Zille's "destructive ways" and perceived arrogance make her an obstacle to supporting her for the top job.

The bad blood between Mashaba and Zille dates back to Mashaba's time as DA mayor of Johannesburg from 2016. Zille has hit back at ActionSA's push to keep her out of the top job, suggesting that Mashaba's opposition stems from her criticism of his leadership style. Mashaba and Zille have a history of disagreements, with Zille accusing Mashaba of being too close to the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).

ActionSA's concerns about Zille's leadership style are shared by the African National Congress (ANC). ANC elections chief Mdumiseni Ntuli claimed that Zille sees herself as a "messiah" and that her arrogance could be a problem for coalition negotiations. Zille has denied these claims, saying that she was subjected to a rigorous process for selecting DA mayoral candidates and that her name was chosen through a competitive process.

Despite ActionSA's opposition, Zille remains a strong contender for the mayoral position, having won almost 35% of the vote in Johannesburg. The ANC, which came a distant second with just over 20% of the vote, is considering its options for forming a coalition government in the city. The party is open to exploring a grand coalition with either the DA or ActionSA, or a minority government with a confidence-and-supply agreement.

ActionSA chair Michael Beaumont said that the party remains open to exploring all coalition options, including one with the DA and Zille. However, Beaumont expressed concerns about Zille's track record in destroying stable and effective coalitions in Johannesburg. Any discussions about a coalition arrangement will need to examine these concerns thoroughly.

The ANC is also reviewing its relationship with the DA as a government of national unity (GNU) partner. Some senior ANC leaders favour an ANC-DA arrangement in the metros, while others are pushing for a grand coalition between the two parties. ANC heavyweight David Makhura has reportedly been in talks with DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis over the past few weeks.

Coalition negotiations are set to intensify over the next two weeks, with parties aiming to form stable governments in 122 hung councils. Zille has said that preliminary election results suggest the DA could form a two-party coalition with either ActionSA or the ANC, though the final outcome will depend on the results and negotiations. The DA has resolved not to publicly comment on the nitty-gritty of coalition talks.

Key points

• ActionSA wants to replace Helen Zille with Herman Mashaba as Johannesburg's mayoral candidate.
• Zille's perceived arrogance and "destructive ways" are cited as reasons for ActionSA's opposition.
• Coalition negotiations are set to intensify over the next two weeks, with parties aiming to form stable governments in 122 hung councils.