Joburg plans to elect interim mayor should Phalatse go

Phalatse’s chances of survival look slim to none due to a fallout between the DA and Patriotic Alliance (PA).

Speaking on the sidelines of council meeting, PA president Gayton McKenzie alleged the deal that was on the table was rejected by the DA Federal Executive on Wednesday night.

He alleged this was because Phalatse was vocal about contesting DA leader John Steenhuisen at the party’s upcoming federal congress.

“The DA approached us and we said give us an offer. The offer was to take one MMC position and we said you’re playing. Last night around midnight they gave us another offer and we said  to hell.

“We commend the ANC and EFF for standing down and not field a candidate. They said the minority must decide. The options are between Margaret Arnolds, Thapelo Ahmed and Colleen Makhubele. But if they can’t decide we’ll help them decide,” McKenzie said.

Meanwhile, ANC's Dada Morero, who was elected mayor for just over a month last year, said the plan was to elect an interim mayor until negotiations between the ANC and EFF are concluded for Ekurhuleni.

Last year, the EFF and ANC at a national and provincial level had reached an agreement to support an EFF mayoral candidate.

However, the ANC caucus in the region defied the party and fielded its own candidate instead of supporting the EFF’s candidate.

Both failed to get enough numbers to have either candidate elected and ousted Ekurhuleni mayor Tania Campbell was re-elected mayor.

“The negotiations between the ANC and EFF resolved that so we don’t withdraw the motions again, in Joburg we have an interim mayor that will emerge from minority parties and we accepted that decision...

“This means once the EFF and ANC resolve the Ekurhuleni situation then the ANC will naturally take over Johannesburg and EFF will take over Ekurhuleni as per the discussions,” Morero said.