Johannesburg - DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga has rubbished thoughts of a possible EFF, DA coalition in Johannesburg and the City of Ekurhuleni because of ideological differences between the two parties.
Msimanga said one of the reasons ActionSA left the coalition in Ekurhuleni was because ActionSA had wanted to introduce the EFF as a coalition partner.
Msimanga said ActionSA had told the DA that the party as a leader of the coalition should ensure that the coalition has a majority in council.
“The questions we should be asking is they want to introduce the EFF as a coalition partner when their partners as saying this cannot happen then they want to walk away from the coalition in Ekurhuleni,” Msimanga said.
Msimanga said some parties within the coalition found it difficult to work with a party such as the EFF because of a vast difference in ideology.
“We are so much ideologically opposed to the EFF and this is not just what the DA has said, it is something that other partners in the multiparty coalition have said, the people that have been promoting the killing of a particular race and grabbing land all over now they want us to work with,” Msimanga said.
Msimanga said the DA was more than prepared to become opposition and stick to their principles.
The Star understands that there were differences in the DA concerning working relations with the EFF. Some were pushing for a relationship with the EFF, but top leaders like Helen Zille were staunchly opposed to the idea of working with the EFF.
According to Msimanga, there were no formal or informal engagements with the EFF.
But The Star understands that the mayor of Johannesburg, Mpho Phalatse, was willing to work with the EFF to save herself from another motion of no confidence. The idea was shot down by top leaders of the party in Cape Town.
“There are no engagements with the EFF at the level of the technical task team and at the level of our coalition oversight group,” Msimanga said.
He said despite the EFF playing a key role in ensuring Tania Campbell’s return to power in Ekurhuleni, the EFF would not be awarded any MMC positions.
The Star