JOAHNNESBURG - With just two weeks left until South Africans head to the polls, ActionSA has made its stance on coalition crystal clear.
Its leader and Johannesburg mayoral candidate, Herman Mashaba laid down three non-negotiable conditions for any potential coalition partners.
The first is a zero-tolerance approach to corruption, with Mashaba warning that nobody should be shielded from accountability.
“When Herman Mashaba steals a cent of public money, don't protect him because be assured, Herman Mashaba is not going to protect you. Secondly, we have a constitutional obligation as government to provide public services to all residents,” he said.
The second condition is that ActionSA highlighted the importance of constitutional obligation as a government to provide public services to all residents.
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And finally, Mashaba said potential coalition partners must agree that undocumented foreign nationals are not welcomed in municipalities governed by Actions, either alone or in coalition.
“Action SA is happy to remain on their benches because if we enter into an agreement with you before resolving these three issues, we know that coalition is going to collapse. Therefore, we'd rather be on the opposition benches.”
Mashaba affirmed that the only time they will consider coalitions is after the elections.
“ Action SA has made it abundantly clear; we've never been dodgy. Unfortunately, some people don't take kindly to that, but I'm not the kind of person who stands on the fence.
“Action SA will not enter into any coalition arrangement [until] only after the elections. We will talk to political parties once we know what the numbers are and whether they make sense.”