“The return of our multiparty coalition government could be a technical event that lasts a day or a week, or it could see the return of the multiparty coalition for the next four years keeping the ANC in the opposition benches,” said Beaumont.
He said the DA must decide whether it is willing to re-engage its former coalition partners and secure enough support to sustain a government, or whether it has given up on the coalition and surrendered the residents of Johannesburg to four more years of ANC governance.
“ActionSA publicly commits itself, once again, to discussions that lead to our multiparty coalition government being able to sustain itself over the next four years for improved service delivery and institutional changes to take effect in Johannesburg,” said Beaumont.
“The services needed by the residents of Johannesburg cannot be delivered from the opposition benches, nor can the fight against corruption be won unless the coalition is in government.
“ActionSA is committed to the work of fixing Johannesburg, and for this the coalition must govern for the rest of the term of office. We call on all political parties committed to providing an alternative to the ANC to come together and deliver on this commitment.”
Phalatse was removed as mayor by an ANC-led coalition with the help of the EFF and the Patriotic Alliance.
Cope’s Colleen Makhubele was elected speaker and scheduled a council sitting two days later that saw Phalatse’s removal.
In its judgment the high court said: “There is a procedure set out in the rules for motions of no confidence. The plain and simple fact is that the speaker and the council failed to follow a lawful process. The outcome of that unlawful process must be reversed.”
Morero announced on his Facebook page that he has “stepped aside officially as the executive mayor”, before making a U-turn by saying: “I hereby wish to retract the earlier statement. The lawyers of the speaker are studying the judgment.”
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‘DA must decide if it is willing to re-engage its former coalition partners’: ActionSA
Image: Freddy Mavunda
ActionSA has welcomed the South Gauteng High Court ruling reinstating Mpho Phalatse as mayor of Johannesburg.
The high court on Tuesday declared invalid and unlawful Phalatse’s removal through a motion of no confidence and the subsequent election of the ANC’s Dada Morero last month.
In a statement, ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont said the reinstatement was an “important correction of an unlawful process followed by the ANC to remove the coalition government”.
However, Beaumont said the court ruling does not change the “dynamics of instability” that led to the collapse of the DA’s multiparty coalition government in the metro.
“This leaves the ball squarely in the DA’s court to demonstrate their commitment to multiparty coalitions providing an alternative to failed ANC governance.
Court reinstates DA’s Mpho Phalatse as City of Johannesburg mayor
“The return of our multiparty coalition government could be a technical event that lasts a day or a week, or it could see the return of the multiparty coalition for the next four years keeping the ANC in the opposition benches,” said Beaumont.
He said the DA must decide whether it is willing to re-engage its former coalition partners and secure enough support to sustain a government, or whether it has given up on the coalition and surrendered the residents of Johannesburg to four more years of ANC governance.
“ActionSA publicly commits itself, once again, to discussions that lead to our multiparty coalition government being able to sustain itself over the next four years for improved service delivery and institutional changes to take effect in Johannesburg,” said Beaumont.
“The services needed by the residents of Johannesburg cannot be delivered from the opposition benches, nor can the fight against corruption be won unless the coalition is in government.
“ActionSA is committed to the work of fixing Johannesburg, and for this the coalition must govern for the rest of the term of office. We call on all political parties committed to providing an alternative to the ANC to come together and deliver on this commitment.”
Phalatse was removed as mayor by an ANC-led coalition with the help of the EFF and the Patriotic Alliance.
Cope’s Colleen Makhubele was elected speaker and scheduled a council sitting two days later that saw Phalatse’s removal.
In its judgment the high court said: “There is a procedure set out in the rules for motions of no confidence. The plain and simple fact is that the speaker and the council failed to follow a lawful process. The outcome of that unlawful process must be reversed.”
Morero announced on his Facebook page that he has “stepped aside officially as the executive mayor”, before making a U-turn by saying: “I hereby wish to retract the earlier statement. The lawyers of the speaker are studying the judgment.”
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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