Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen remains reluctant to endorse the Patriotic Alliance's (PA's) participation in the Multiparty Charter for South Africa, saying the party led by Gayton McKenzie has often flip-flopped on its relationship with the African National Congress (ANC), and remains untrustworthy. 

Steenhuisen was speaking on the sidelines of the Multiparty Charter for South Africa declaration signing on Thursday in Kempton Park. 

He commented on McKenzie's interest in joining the newly formed pact, an offer Steenhuisen seemed reluctant to support, despite other pact partners agreeing that the arrangement had to be expanded.

"You can only get ahead in politics if your word is your bond. The DA sticks to its word, unlike other parties that flip-flop from one side to the next, and walk out. One day they are doing this, and the next day, they are jumping into bed with someone else, and the next day, they want to form their own pact, and the next day they want to come into your pact. It's a mess," he said. 

The DA leader said he found it hard to comprehend how the PA could suddenly align with the charter's values and whether it could commit to not switching partnerships when it suited its leaders.

"The wording of the declaration is clear that parties [must] subscribe to the principles and act accordingly. Anybody can say they subscribe to something on paper, but you judge them by their deeds, not their words. If you look at the thresholds and value sets, that is the threshold that any party that wants to join the charter will have to meet," he said. 

Steenhuisen added that he was unconvinced by McKenzie's offer to relinquish working with the ANC in municipalities they co-govern. 

McKenzie told News24 on Thursday that his party was willing to end its working relationship with the ANC at a local government level in order to prove its commitment to the "moonshot pact", if it is allowed to join.

"I think there will be some vigorous debate around the Patriotic Alliance's track record in government and the fact that they jump from one thing to the next. It is not about forgiveness; it is about the criteria that we have all agreed on and a charter of the type of values and principles that people subscribe and act according to that will determine whether you enter," Steenhuisen said.

The final decision on whether the PA will be allowed to join the Multiparty Charter for South Africa will have to be voted on by the pact's seven parties.

The DA has had a troubled relationship with the PA, which soured further during the coalition arrangements to govern Nelson Mandela Bay, Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni in 2022.

The PA had initially led these key metros with the DA and several other parties.

However, within months, the relationship ended as the PA decided to side with the ANC and Economic Freedom Fighters, culminating in the three parties taking over several hung municipalities that the DA and its coalition partners had previously governed. 

After pressure from its pact partners, the DA agreed that the alliance had to be broadened, Acknowledging that the seven political parties would be unable to clinch a majority in the 2024 elections, and that additional parties could help get the pact there.

ActionSA had lobbied heavily for the inclusion of other political parties. News24 understands that the party led by Herman Mashaba still has a keen interest in regaining Johannesburg, and that the PA has offered to discuss the matter.

With the DA remaining reluctant about including the PA, the likelihood of a successful power shift in Johannesburg remains distant, despite another motion of no-confidence vote on the cards in the coming weeks.