Cape Town – ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has offered the DA an opportunity to lead Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni in a proposed coalition arrangement, in exchange for the party supporting ActionSA’s bid to retain control of Tshwane under mayor Nasiphi Moya.
The proposal, directed at DA federal leader Geordin Hill-Lewis, comes amid coalition negotiations following the 2026 local government elections, which left the DA without an outright majority in Gauteng’s three metropolitan municipalities.
According to Newsday, Mashaba said he was prepared to work with the DA but wanted former party leader Helen Zille excluded from the Johannesburg mayoral race and coalition negotiations.
“I explained to Geordin that ActionSA would really like to work with the Democratic Alliance,” Mashaba said.
He added that the relationship between himself and Zille had deteriorated to a point where cooperation was no longer possible.
Amazing job
“We will support you and enable you to take over Johannesburg with your chosen mayor. However, put someone other than Helen in,” he said.
Mashaba also insisted that ActionSA would not compromise on Moya’s position in Tshwane, saying she had performed well and should remain mayor.
“She has done an amazing job, and we cannot allow that to be undone. You guys can have Ekurhuleni and lead Johannesburg, while we lead Tshwane,” he said.
In a related report, TimesLIVE revealed that Mashaba had formally written to Hill-Lewis on November 7, proposing that both he and Zille withdraw as mayoral candidates in Johannesburg to allow negotiations to proceed.
Under the proposal, the DA would nominate an alternative Johannesburg mayor, while ActionSA would take the deputy mayor position. The parties would then negotiate the remaining terms of a coalition agreement.
Negotiate in good faith
For Tshwane, Mashaba proposed that the DA support Moya’s mayoral candidacy, while DA mayoral candidate Cilliers Brink withdraw from the council and the party nominates an acceptable deputy mayoral candidate.
TimesLIVE also reported that the DA had concerns about the conditions attached to Mashaba’s offer, with a party insider arguing that the DA should not be expected to remove candidates selected through its internal processes.
“We will negotiate in good faith; we are prepared to hear what they say and a power-sharing deal is still on the cards, but we can’t have ActionSA dictate to us how we should deal with internal matters,” the DA leader said.
Meanwhile, the Eyewitness News (EWN) reported that the DA had already approached several political parties to initiate coalition negotiations after emerging as the largest party in Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane.
Best choice
DA spokesperson Jan de Villiers said the party would prioritise residents in its negotiations.
“We will enter into negotiations in good faith to try and establish with whom we can, in every municipality, make the best choice and come to the best agreements to create stable governments,” he said.
EWN separately reported that Mashaba had made retaining Moya as Tshwane mayor a central condition of any coalition arrangement involving ActionSA.
Mashaba said he was still awaiting a response from Hill-Lewis, adding that the proposal represented ActionSA’s official position.
The outcome of the negotiations is expected to determine the political leadership of Gauteng’s three major metros, where the parties will need coalition partners to establish governing majorities.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
