The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng says it has learned hard lessons in coalition politics since the last elections and won’t make the same mistakes.
Gauteng DA leader Solly Msimanga says the party is contesting several towns and metros in the province in the Local Government Elections.
The polls take place on November 1.
Msimanga says the DA is aiming to get 50% plus one, but if they have to govern with the help of partners after the Local Government Elections, they won’t make the same mistakes.
“Should it happen that we don’t get to the 50 plus 1, we will not jump into any other organisation except organisations that are willing on principle agree to what needs to be done and that needs to be put down on paper and agreed upon. So it cannot be a fluid agreement that gets to change,” adds Msimanga.
Meanwhile, the party says it will consult with its legal teams in a bid to recover some of the R8.4 billion that it says was lost during the eight months the city was placed under administration by the Gauteng government.
This comes after the Constitutional Court ruled the provincial government did not follow due process when placing the capital under administration in 2020.
(1/2) Judgment: Although there were exceptional circumstances, they did not warrant the dissolution of the Municipal Council in terms of section 139(1)(c) of the Constitution.
— Constitutional Court (@ConCourtSA) October 4, 2021
The DA says it will ensure that MEC for Co-operative Governance in Gauteng, Lebogang Maile, is personally held to account for all legal costs and for wasting taxpayers’ money, and has called on the ANC to fire him.
Maile led the charge to place the capital under administration.
The DA’s Tshwane Mayor Randall Williams says they will try to recover some of the money lost.
“What we will do is to certainly take and get legal opinion to see what remedies can be put in place to recover any losses suffered by the city. So we will act on independent legal advice on the way forward as far as that is concerned,” adds Williams.
The video below is reporting on why Tshwane was placed under administration:
