ActionSA Leader Warns Joburg Residents About DA’s Big Trap Before It Is Too Late

ActionSA MP Malebo Kobe has defended a coalition involving ActionSA, the African National Congress and the Economic Freedom Fighters in Tshwane, arguing that it offers a better example for Johannesburg than a government led by the Democratic Alliance.

In a post on X, Kobe described the Tshwane arrangement as the most successful coalition in South African political history and urged critics of the ANC, EFF and ActionSA partnership to consider its record before arguing that a DA-led coalition would be better for Johannesburg.

The claim comes as parties negotiate how to govern Johannesburg after the local government elections left no party with an outright majority. The DA secured the largest share of the vote in the city, while ActionSA, the ANC and other parties hold seats that could prove decisive in forming a council majority.

Kobe’s intervention puts the spotlight on the competing coalition models being advanced by parties. ActionSA has previously argued that coalition government can improve accountability by allowing partners to scrutinise one another’s decisions. In 2023, party president Herman Mashaba pointed to the Tshwane council as an example of coalition oversight, citing ActionSA’s opposition to a proposed power-station lease and its calls for transparency.

However, describing the Tshwane coalition as the country’s most successful is a political assessment, not an established measure. Coalition success can be judged in different ways, including whether an administration lasts, passes budgets, improves service delivery or maintains accountability. A party’s claim should therefore be weighed against the council’s record and the experiences of residents.

The Tshwane arrangement also involved parties with different policy positions and political objectives. Cooperation between them required negotiations over leadership and municipal priorities, while tensions between coalition partners remained a feature of local government politics. A similar agreement in Johannesburg would need to address the city’s own financial, infrastructure and service-delivery pressures.

The debate is unfolding as ActionSA considers its role in Johannesburg’s next administration. The party has proposed that its president, Herman Mashaba, and the DA’s Helen Zille both step aside from the mayoral contest, with the DA retaining the mayoralty and ActionSA receiving the deputy mayor position. The proposal has not settled the coalition talks, and the parties still need to reach agreement on leadership and policy.

Kobe’s post makes clear that ActionSA is challenging the assumption that the largest party should automatically lead a coalition or that a DA-led administration would necessarily perform better. The question for Johannesburg residents is whether any proposed alliance can secure a stable council majority and deliver accountable, effective city government.

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