The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it’s disappointed to lose Wednesday’s election for the Johannesburg mayoral position. DA interim leader John Steenhuisen says the party is particularly disappointed at what he referred to as “ill-discipline” of councillors in its ranks who voted against the party line.
The African National Congress’s (ANC) Geoff Makhubo was elected the new executive mayor of the City of Johannesburg.
The position became vacant after former mayor Herman Mashaba resigned both as the mayor and also as DA member last month.
Steenhuisen says the party will be taking up the opposition benches with its head held high, but he lamented that its councillors have shown no loyalty to the party.
“Let me be very clear and upfront; I am extremely disappointed by the ill-discipline shown within our own ranks yesterday by a couple of DA councillors, who appeared to have broken ranks with the party and used the secret ballot to vote against the Caucasus line. I think what also emerged yesterday (was that) the EFF was not the kingmakers they said they are gonna be. But even with them, we would not have been able to cross the finish line,” says Steenhuisen.
