EFF EXPRESSES CONCERN AT DA BULLY TACTICS IN NELSON MANDELA METRO COALITION GOVERNMENT
Thursday, August 24, 2017
The EFF notes the removal of the UDM Councillor Mongameli Bobani as Deputy Mayor in a motion of no confidence today. The Democratic Alliance is responsible for this motion and has supported it without first entering into a national consultation process with the UDM leadership and other opposition parties. We view this as pure bullying by the DA which is failing to lead and work in a respectable way with smaller political parties.
The DA behaves as though it won elections in Nelson Mandela when it did not. It also proves not to appreciate the concept of power sharing which means precisely that: they must "share" political power with others in order to govern.
As a result of this behaviour in Nelson Mandela, the EFF will not be voting with the DA on any issue in Nelson Mandela Metro until they radically change their attitude towards other coalition partners belonging to smaller parties. Although the EFF is not in any coalition or cooperation with the DA, we view their behaviour in Nelson Mandela Metro as a threat to coalition politics that can remove the corrupt ANC out of power even in the future.
Above all, we warn them that their behaviour in Nelson Mandela will affect all other municipalities where they rely on opposition parties in order to govern; in particular in Tshwane and Johannesburg.
The reality is that behaviour of the DA in Nelson Mandela is consistent with their conduct elsewhere in the country including in Parliament. They lack humility, political consultation and patience with smaller parties. They suffer the same arrogance of power that has characterizes the ANC over the year and for which people are now removing it from power across the country.
It is true that even in Mogale City, the confusion was caused by the DA which in the end led to EFF councillors voting with the ANC. These symptoms of the arrogance of power show everywhere even in Johannesburg and Tshwane where they ignore consultation and sharing of decision-making.
This arrogance borders on white supremacy because often relying on Maimane's word as a leader proves futile unless James Self or John Steinhuisen are taken on board. Maimane seems incapable of leadership on his own; if political party leaders meet with the view to reach agreements on many issues, Maimane is incapable, on his own to take decisions without the supervision and guidance of James Self.
When opposition unity and cooperation fails in the important mission to remove the arrogant and kleptocratic ANC, the people of South Africa must put the blame squarely on the feet of the DA. The same arrogance of power that closed the ears of the ANC from any humble advice about its conduct now grips the DA. What is worse is that in all cases where the DA chooses to bully smaller parties like in Nelson Mandela, they have not won elections.
A future without the ANC in power is essentially a future without any party that suffers from the arrogance of power. The DA must not replace a tendency with a tendency, where we will have the same arrogance of power, only dressed in blue colours.
Statement issued by the Economic Freedom Fighters, 24 August 2017
