Ekurhuleni: ActionSA pulls out of coalition, gives up MMC posts

Beaumont confirmed ActionSA councillors will not take up MMC positions, despite them voting in support of the return Tania Campbell’s return after she was booted out through a motion of no confidence last month.

“We previously held the position of public safety as well health and social development, and the fundamental reasons for us doing so [not taking up MMC positions] was that we are dissatisfied with three things. One, basic service delivery in the metro; two agreed priorities of the coalition government that are just not being implemented; and three, what we regard to be the obstruction of local structures’ efforts to obtain majorities required to defeat motions of no confidence.”

At the heart of the decision is service delivery, especially in townships, which also came up as one of the motivations for the attempt at ousting Campbell.

Beaumont says after engaging the party’s Ekurhuleni caucus, the party commissioned a public poll of 3000 Ekurhuleni residents which found that 62% of residents felt the city was moving in the wrong direction over the past year.

“50% of residents felt it had gotten worse, 32% said that it had stayed the same and only 16% that life had got better over the last twelve months. Of grave concern to ActionSA was that 57% of respondents did not feel that they trusted the government to continue.”

Beaumont says by being outside of the coalition they will be able to force accountability, rather than running the risk of becoming complicit as a part of government.