The fragile ANC-EFF coalitions in the City of Ekurhuleni and City of Joburg are on the brink of collapse after the two parties made big antagonistic moves against one another this week.
Sunday World understands Luthuli House’s move to instal Ekurhuleni ANC councillor Jongizizwe Dlabathi as member of the mayoral committee (MMC) responsible for finance has brought the coalition arrangement between the parties a step closer to collapse.
Dlabathi’s appointment occurred without consultation with the ANC’s provincial leadership, further fuelling the belief that there was a misalignment between the ANC headquarters on Pixley Seme Street and the Gauteng office on Jan Smuts Avenue.
A deepthroat within the Gauteng provincial executive committee confirmed that at the centre of the latest development was singing from different hymn books between them and their superiors in Luthuli House.
A top leader of the ANC in the Ekurhuleni region supported this view, adding that “when the war comes to an end, there will be no winners”.
Both leaders confirmed the EFF was dissatisfied with the ANC’s decision to replace their finance MMC in Ekurhuleni, Nkululeko Dunga, despite the ongoing negotiations behind the scenes. It appeared that the EFF was already retaliating, as the red berets brigade this week refused to vote for the passing of the Joburg budget. But ANC insiders believe the EFF’s fightback in Joburg was ill-advised.
“The EFF must also avoid emotional retaliation because Ekurhuleni’s issues are different from Joburg’s. You cannot punish one municipality for the issues of another,” said the provincial ANC leader.
“The consequences of their actions, which they fail to see due to their shortsightedness, are that they alienate Joburg ANC comrades who previously had no issues with them. What happens when the Joburg ANC starts looking for alternatives?
“They are muddying the waters and creating more problems, which will embolden those who have always opposed our working relationship.”
Another PEC heavyweight said they were alive to manoeuvre “to disorganise the provincial leadership using the Ekurhuleni region, which was under interim leadership”.
“I mean, just imagine a region forging ahead to appoint an MMC without consulting the province; we are in a mess. It is a spirited mission but the provincial leadership will overcome it over the long run.”
ANC leaders in Ekurhuleni insist that the EFF was to blame for Nkululeko Dunga’s removal, and that the ANC is taking that portfolio for itself.
According to a senior leader who asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals, they had a problem with Dunga, who was acting big, and asked the EFF to provide a different candidate.
“The EFF strongly believes that they deserve the MMC for finance. However, I doubt we will grant them the MMC for finance because they insist on Dunga, who has acted as if he were a mini mayor during his tenure,” the leader said.
“That is why he was removed, and we had said to the EFF we do not have a problem with them having that portfolio so long as there is another person we would be able to work with.”
The person said that as a result of the EFF’s antics, an opportunity had arisen where the DA dangled a carrot to work with the ANC on the condition that the EFF be totally removed.
“That then has implications for the province on the GPU (Government of Provincial Unity), so we are caught between a rock and a hard place. It is quite a difficult space to be in, and it has now extended to Joburg, where the DA is also waiting to pounce.”
The leader concluded that if the EFF continued with its hardline stance, they might lose all positions in Ekurhuleni and Joburg.
The EFF national spokesperson, Leigh-Ann Mathys, referred questions to the party in the province, whose provincial chairperson, Dunga, had not responded to questions at the time of writing.
