ActionSA Gauteng Chairperson Bongani Baloyi has accused the Democratic Alliance (DA) of destabilising the coalition in the City of Johannesburg “in the interest of power and position”.   

ActionSA briefed the media following the collapse of the multi-party government in the municipality.

The Democratic Alliance’s (DA’s) Mpho Phalatse was voted out as City of Johannesburg mayor in a motion of no-confidence against her last week.

The African National Congress's Dada Morero was voted in as the new mayor.

Baloyi announced that there is no coalition arrangement in the City of Johannesburg moving forward and added that his party has accepted the “new reality” that they are now an opposition party.

He promised that ActionSA will be a formidable opposition by ensuring that a budget approved is affected and by holding the executive accountable.

“We are going to do our part. We have decided to place the residents ahead of everything else and ensure that they will get the services that they need,” Baloyi stated.

ActionSA wished former mayor Phalatse well and added that despite her removal she was a great leader of the now disbanded coalition.

“We are not there subserving into the will and the whim of the DA and to help it govern. No one won, there is no majority party there. All of us are the same. It’s important that the coalition appreciates theses dynamics and also acts in the best interest of stabilising our coalition by making sure that the members’ participation is deepened and that you don’t have the same party occupying the key leadership positions, that being the speaker, the chief whip and the executive mayor,” said Baloyi.