ActionSA seeks to block Helen Zille from Johannesburg mayoralty
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on TimesLIVE
ActionSA wants to prevent Helen Zille, the Democratic Alliance candidate, from becoming Johannesburg mayor and instead calls for Herman Mashaba for the post. The party intends to influence coalition negotiations following the municipal elections, according to TimesLIVE.
ActionSA intends to ask the Democratic Alliance (DA) to drop Helen Zille as its candidate for Johannesburg mayor and support its leader Herman Mashaba, TimesLIVE reports. The party is making its support for municipal coalitions conditional on another choice to lead the city, according to the South African media outlet.
Helen Zille won nearly 35% of the vote in Johannesburg in the municipal elections, ahead of the ANC with just over 20% and ActionSA with around 16%, TimesLIVE reports. The results left 122 municipal councils without a majority, opening two weeks of negotiations between the parties to form coalitions.
ActionSA also wants to retain Nasiphi Moya at the helm of Tshwane and says it could give up positions in Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni to maintain this priority, according to TimesLIVE. The ANC, through its elections chief Mdumiseni Ntuli, has also criticised Zille's candidacy.
Helen Zille rejected the allegations concerning her conduct and defended the DA's candidate selection process. She said she had submitted her candidacy through the same process as the other contenders, TimesLIVE reports.
