The Patriotic Alliance in Johannesburg has threatened to leave the DA-led coalition in the City of Joburg after party members were removed from a WhatsApp group that comprised all coalition partners.
The PA members were removed from the WhatsApp group following the election of Colleen Makhubele to the Speaker position on Wednesday.
The PA had voted with the opposition bloc to ensure Makhubele becomes Speaker, booting to the side the DA’s Alex Christians, who was also a contestant for the same post.
Speaking to “The Star”, PA deputy president Kenny Kunene said the DA had shown disrespect to the PA, something which would not be tolerated.
“There are a number of issues, with the way things are standing they have removed our person in the WhatsApp group, they are basically saying we don’t want you any more, and if they are going to be petty like that that’s fine,” Kunene said.
Kunene said DA spokesperson Solly Msimang had insulted the party in an article in the “Daily Maverick”. He said the PA had more disagreements with the DA when it came to the three key positions in the city, that of Speaker, mayor and chief whip.
Kunene accused the DA of arrogance and said the party had tried convincing the PA to vote with them for a DA Speaker. “The Star” understands that the PA had made certain demands of the DA, including having more than one MMC on the executive council. It appears the bone of contention was that the DA was refusing to give the IFP the Speaker position.
“On Wednesday we wrote to our head of strategy in the group of all the coalition partners that we will not be voting with the DA, so when we went into that council they knew. That’s why they asked for a 30-minute break,” Kunene said.
On the other hand, Kunene said the PA was still willing to be engaged by the Multi Party Coalition. Kunene said the ANC was engaging the PA on coalition talks. He made said the PA could not guarantee the safety of the mayor of Johannesburg when the motion of no confidence comes in the next council sitting.
“The next logical thing that would happen once you remove the Speaker is to remove the mayor,” Kunene said.
Kunene said the biggest matter for him was that services were not being delivered because coalition partners were busy squabbling with each other.
The Multi Party Coalition was expected to release a statement on Thursday concerning the matter. The DA also said it would not comment until the Multi Party statement came out.