Herman Mashaba: Negotiations for the soul of SA’s capital…

ActionSA Leader Herman Mashaba is set to enter negotiations for an alternative municipal coalition government in the capital Tshwane - after leaving the Multi-Party Coalition with the Democratic Alliance. In this interview with BizNews, Mashaba states: “The only thing that is now left is whether ActionSA will be able to put together a new government with other parties that subscribe to our values of fighting corruption, focus on service delivery to the residents of Tshwane, and ethical leadership. If we can pass this, then we'll be able to really form a new government with other parties without the DA. But in the event we fail - because we are not going to go into an arrangement with other parties for the sake of going - we've taken a decision that come the 26th, ActionSA is happy and comfortable...to really be on the opposition benches.” While Mashaba stresses that he is not going to be “unreasonable”, he is also adamant that he is fully prepared to “walk away” in the event that parties don't agree. “I think the only thing I'm asking the ANC to do is that, guys, if you're going to co-govern with us, we've got to declare corruption public enemy number one. We've got to put in professional people to run our government. We've got to save all communities, suburbs, townships, villages.” As for the DA, he states: “…one thing that we want to make clear to South Africans is that the DA coalition in Tshwane can forget about getting the support from our councillors in Tshwane.”