IN QUOTES | Herman Mashaba on the ANC, Helen Zille and being mayor

As former Joburg mayor Herman Mashaba continues his media blitz, he has again spoken about his next move, his relationship with Helen Zille and the formation of The People's Dialogue.

The People's Dialogue is an initiative formed two weeks ago, to unite South Africans through discussions about issues that affect the country and to find solutions, TimesLIVE reported.

Here are five quotes from his interview on Power 98.7.

The formation of the Dialogue 

“I started this engagement informed by people who said 'Mashaba start your own political party, who are we going to vote for the next time around?' I said, as an individual, I don't have the answers to all the problems of the country, so let me ask South Africans to engage.”

Relationship with Helen Zille

“Helen Zille and I had a relationship before I discovered who she is and my relationship with her is water under the bridge. I don't really have a relationship or whatsoever and I would not want to have a relationship with Helen Zille. She had already turned out to be someone that I don't really believe we share the same vision, particularly for black South Africans' participation in the country and economy.”

Born-free unemployment 

“I need to engage Stats SA to really give us a sense of our youth born in 1994, how many of them are unemployed? I'm quite convinced that the number is higher than 50%. What happened to them? Today, a black child has a big chance of going to jail or dying from drugs.”

On returning to public office

“If the overwhelming majority of South Africans and I shared the same values, I am happy to form a political party that must then contest the elections, and we'll start with the 2021 local government elections.”

On not working with the ANC

“I can tell you one condition of a coalition agreement I will never enter into is with the ANC. I am happy to serve with anyone expect the ANC. If it is a question of us going back to elections and we have to go in with the ANC, I will not go. I will not work with the ANC whatsoever, that is not negotiable.”