Jongizizwe Dlabathi has questioned the party’s coalition pact with the EFF in the metro, which he has described as risky. Photo: Archive”/>
The acting regional chairperson of the ANC in Ekurhuleni, Jongizizwe Dlabathi, has raised doubts about the party’s coalition agreement with the EFF in the metro, expressing concerns that it may prove politically costly and weaken the ANC without significant benefits.
Dlabathi has cautioned that the ANC risks losing support in its strongholds if the EFF continues to wield disproportionate power in the administration of the metro. The ongoing tussle between the ANC and the EFF revolves around the allocation of mayoral committee portfolios, which they currently share equally.
While the African Independent Congress (AIC) holds the mayoral position, the ANC and the EFF control five portfolios each. Dlabathi, in a letter addressed to ANC provincial secretary Thembinkosi Nciza and secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, emphasized that the ANC-EFF coalition in its current form could result in the gradual erosion of ANC’s power and lacks strategic value.
The existing power-sharing arrangement in Ekurhuleni appears imbalanced since a party with 31 proportional representation seats and no ward councillors has the same number of mayoral committee members as the ANC, which boasts 78 ward councillors and a total of 86 councillors. The EFF currently holds key positions such as the speaker role and control over crucial portfolios like finance, water, sanitation and energy, waste and environmental, health, and real estate.
Although the ANC managed to form a coalition government after securing 49% electoral support in the 2016 municipal elections, it was later dislodged from power by a DA-led coalition following a further decline in electoral support in the 2021 elections.
Dlabathi warns that the ANC’s past achievements in service delivery, human settlements, investment in education, and building municipal capacity during its previous term of office (2016-2021) may be eroded if the current coalition with the EFF continues.
The ANC needs to safeguard its strongholds as direct opponents have set their sights on dismantling the party in Ekurhuleni, especially those who directly compete in the same constituency. The EFF, as a clear competitor, aims to accelerate its growth at the ANC’s expense.
It is worth noting that an initial coalition deal between the ANC and the EFF, aimed at removing the DA from power in Gauteng metros, fell apart in 2022 when the ANC regional leadership in Ekurhuleni rejected the proposal to allow the EFF to govern the metro in exchange for support in Johannesburg and Tshwane.
Dlabathi highlights that the ANC has previously declared, including through its coalition framework, that it would not enter into coalitions at any cost. The resistance to relinquishing control of Ekurhuleni was not defiance but rather loyalty to the ANC, protecting its base, and preventing a potentially costly mistake in the future.
Currently, there appears to be a lack of cooperative governance in the metro, with a tacit contestation playing out through the allocation of portfolios, to the detriment of the ANC.
As the ANC plans to hold a regional general council to elect new leadership, including a regional chairperson, Dlabathi, alongside Doctor Xhakaza and Tlou Chokoe, is set to vie for the regional chairperson position. With branch nominations underway, Chokoe is seen as the front runner, while Dlabathi remains a strong contender.
The ANC in Ekurhuleni faces critical decisions regarding its coalition strategy and leadership, as it strives to maintain its political influence and effectively serve the interests of its constituents.
ANC Ekurhuleni
Coalition pact
EFF
Metro administration
Cooperative governance
Regional general council
Political risk
Service delivery
Source: https://twitter.com/City_Press/status/1677324094348435456?s=20
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