ActionSA has announced the temporary withdrawal of its motion of no confidence against City of Johannesburg mayor Kabelo Gwamanda.
The decision comes after the DA indicated its intention to postpone the motion in favour of pursuing the dissolution of the council.
The complex interplay of these manoeuvres has ignited controversy within the Multi-Party Charter for South Africa, an alliance formed by the DA to challenge the ANC and EFF in the upcoming 2024 elections.
In a statement on Monday, ActionSA’s chairperson Michael Beaumont expressed his disappointment, pointing out at the DA’s refusal to prioritise the interests of the Multi-Party Charter and Johannesburg’s residents over it own political agenda.
Beaumont emphasized that the withdrawal of the motion, which was scheduled for Thursday, was a difficult decision caused by the DA’s categorical refusal to support the removal of Gwamanda.
He indicated that without the DA’s backing, the motion lacks the necessary support to succeed.
The political drama centres around negotiations for the Multi-Party Charter for South Africa, aiming to secure a majority in the 2024 elections.
The Patriotic Alliance (PA) had agreed to contribute votes to oust Gwamanda.
However, the DA’s refusal to cooperate with the PA, opting instead for a council dissolution through an amendment to the no-confidence motion, is viewed sceptically as a diversion from its reluctance to build a coalition, given the higher majority needed for dissolution.
“This notion of a new motion to dissolve the Joburg council must be dismissed as a stunt that it is,” Beaumont said.
“The DA’s refusal to engage the PA to secure the simple majority needed for a motion of no confidence would even more profoundly doom a proposal to dissolve the council which would require a two-thirds majority threshold.
“It is a political sleight of hand to distract from the obvious fact that the DA’s actions will directly result in the continuation of ANC and EFF governance in Joburg.”
Beaumont urged the DA to consider the broader implications of its actions and collaborate with other opposition parties within the Multi-Party Charter to present a united front against the ANC in the upcoming elections.
“For the DA to opt for the continuation of ANC and EFF governance, rather than leading or supporting a coalition led by one of their own partners is a serious concern that ActionSA will be raising within the Multi-Party Charter for South Africa.
“The DA has every right to determine how involved it is in any coalition arrangement.
“If their commitment to remove the ANC and keep the EFF out does not extend to working with the PA, the DA had every opportunity to vote on an issue-by-issue basis.
“Instead, they have elected to facilitate the continuation of the very thing they purport to prevent – an ANC and EFF government.
“ActionSA will seek clarity about how the DA’s actions in Joburg this week should be understood in the broader context of removing the ANC in 2024.”
He said ActionSA remains committed to the Multi-Party Charter for South Africa and its commitment to provide a coherent alternative to the ANC.
“We remain deeply concerned for the residents of Joburg who continue to suffer under an actual [not theoretical] ANC and EFF government.”
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