ActionSA to step back from Ekurhuleni positions to drive delivery

14 November 2022

Last week ActionSA’s Senate deliberated on a variety of matters relating to our approach to multi-party coalitions. This included the question of Ekurhuleni following the reinstatement of the Executive Mayor by all coalition partners, including ActionSA.

Of particular importance was the assessment of the state of service delivery in Ekurhuleni. ActionSA’s Caucus in Ekurhuleni raised several serious concerns about basic service delivery regressing in the Metro, most notably in terms of the reliability of refuse removal, electricity, and water supply.

To assess this situation ActionSA initiated a public poll, calling over 3000 residents of Ekurhuleni across various communities and demographics and the results were telling:

62% of respondents felt the Metro was going in the wrong direction over the last year;

82% felt service delivery had gotten worse (50%) or stayed the same (32%); and

57% did not trust the coalition to continue governing.

This information corroborates serious concerns about basic service delivery not being suitably prioritised and the inability to ensure the appointment of professional civil servants to lead departments effectively and stop the ANC-aligned sabotage of basic services.

ActionSA has similarly voiced concerns frequently for the refusal of the coalition to allow local structures to secure most of the support that could defeat motions of no confidence and pass service delivery budgets. These concerns have been vindicated over the past few weeks.

ActionSA has resolved that we will not take up positions in the re-constituted Mayoral Committee being renegotiated by the multi-party coalition. We believe that we need to fight for better service delivery for all the residents of Ekurhuleni. This requires us to give up executive positions and ensure we can fight encumbered by positions that co-opt our support.

Going forward ActionSA will form part of a voting bloc that will work to keep the ANC out of this Metro by defeating motions of no confidence and working to pass decisions that serve the service delivery needs of the residents of Ekurhuleni. We remain unequivocal in our commitment to keeping the ANC out of this and all other governments, but we cannot be complicit in failed service delivery.

Issued by Michael Beaumont, ActionSA National Chairperson, 14 November 2022