Elections results have placed ANC leadership of Joburg on uncertain ground‚ Tau acknowledges

21 August 2016 - 14:40 By Neo Goba

The African National Congress greater Johannesburg region says it is not satisfied with the outcome of the local government elections which has resulted in the party having to seek coalitions with other smaller parties to try to regain the City. "The election results have placed the leadership of the City of Johannesburg by the ANC on uncertain ground. The committee acknowledges that the ANC did not receive enough votes for an outright majority that would have enabled us to form a government in Johannesburg‚" said ANC regional chairperson Parks Tau.He was speaking at a media briefing at the party's regional offices in Johannesburg on Sunday."[Therefore ]‚ this resulted in a need for the ANC Johannesburg to form a coalition government with other political parties [which] has also brought in the risk of losing the leadership of the City to opposition parties‚" said Tau.The regional ANC is due to hold a crucial inaugural sitting of the council for the 2016-2021 term of office on Monday when the swearing in of all 270 councillors‚ Chief Whip of Council‚ the election of Speaker of Council and executive mayor of the City will take place.Members of the mayoral portfolio committees‚ members of the Mayoral Committee‚ election of the chairperson of committees‚ including chair of chairs‚ and approval of members of various Section 79 committees would be presented at the second council meeting scheduled for September 8.In the recent local government elections‚ the ruling party received 44.5 percent of the votes in the country’s economic hub‚ followed by the Democratic Alliance with 38.37 percent. The new kids on the block – the Economic Freedom Fighters - received 11.09 percent while the Inkatha Freedom Party got 1.72 percent.Tau acknowledged that fears of losing the City would mean that programmes of transformation would be reversed by an incoming political party."However‚ should a need arise that we assume an opposition position‚ we remain committed to protect our radical spatial and socio-economic transformation agenda to ensure that the quality of life I Johannesburg is equally desirable for all its residents."As the ANC regional committee‚ we can confirm that we will not be engaging with any political party that represents an agenda that seeks to reverse the democratic gains achieved since 1994‚" said Tau...

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