DA mayors in Gauteng ‘being set up to fail’ – analyst
Political analyst Professor Amanda Gouws believes the lack of a formal coalition agreement will make it difficult for the DA to govern Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni.
On a day of high drama, the DA’s Tania Campbell and Mpho Phalatse were voted in as the new mayors of Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg metros, respectively.
The EFF and ActionSA voted in support of the DA in an effort to keep the ANC out of power.
DA leader John Steenhusien told the media on Tuesday that the party had not struck a deal with either the EFF or ActionSA.
Gouws says this is likely to make it difficult for DA to pass a budget.
“I think because there was no agreement in place before the two mayors were elected, It means that they will have a very difficult job because they will have to get an agreement on every issue that needs to be voted on like policy issue. I think it is going to be very difficult because there is no agreement between the DA, EFF and ActionSA.”
She adds that the two women given the mayoral chains are being set up to fail.
“I have another way here, is that in both cases women were elected, so are these women being set up for failure?
”You put all this pressure on women and now people can turn around and say they can’t govern because this is very extraordinary circumstances that we see here.”
Gouws says the DA is likely to govern all Gauteng metros, but should wait before popping the champagne cork.
“I think that the DA will get the mayor there as well (in Tshwane), so the big metros in Gauteng will all have DA mayors.
“They inherit a very bad situation, and it is going to be very difficult for them to deliver on service delivery if other parties don’t agree with them on certain policy decisions, so it may just be the issue of political paralysis rather than service delivery.”
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