The battle for Tshwane has intensified as the multi-party coalition in the city is on the brink of collapse. The coalition, consisting of Action SA, Democratic Alliance (DA), Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus), Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), and African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), has been shaken by three motions of no-confidence against city mayor Cilliers Brink, raised by the African National Congress (ANC) in Gauteng.

The two motions, dated 22 July and 27 August, were withdrawn. Councillor Frans Boshielo submitted the third motion to the speaker of the Tshwane council on 03 September. 

Now, Action SA leader Herman Mashaba has come out guns blazing, even saying that he would instead work with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) as coalition partners in Tshwane. Mashaba slammed the DA and Brink for “trying to stab us in the back.”

When the ANC submitted the first motion of no confidence in July, Action SA called it “opportunistic” but now seems to have changed its tune. Action SA also vowed not to work with the ANC in the lead-up to the elections. This is why it isn’t included in the Government of National Unity (GNU)

Last week, the ANC submitted yet another motion of no confidence in Brink. If this succeeds, the city will have a new mayor.

What the other parties are saying

  • The FF Plus in Gauteng said they would not abandon their coalition partner. This is despite their recent falling out in several municipalities in the Western Cape. FF Plus leader in Gauteng, Jaco Mulder, said that the motion of no confidence had no merit. “We are committed to stay in the coalition as it is and keep the coalition intact because we’ve got an agreement with the coalition partners, and we will honour that,” said Mulder. He said that if the current coalition collapsed and the next one benefitted the community, they would be a part of it. 
  • The ANC has said that should the motion of no confidence succeed, the new coalition should “benefit the ANC and the residents.” Speaking on Monday night, ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said the ANC would only join a coalition that provided stability for the people of South Africa. “We will not join anything that’s not going to serve the ANC and the interest of the people any longer. That must be very clear; that is the stance we have taken,” he said.
  • ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont said they were reviewing their options despite Mashaba’s utterances. They said they were conducting polls and studying the Auditor General’s report on the Tshwane municipality. Mashaba, however, is on the warpath, calling Brink “arrogant” and alleging that he treated Action SA people “like trash.”

The DA said they were waiting for their national leadership to instruct them on how to proceed. The motion will be debated and voted on when the council meets again on 26 September 2024. Will Brink survive the chop? Time will tell.