ActionSA Guns for Voters in the Western Cape Reviving Fued With DA, Claims Party Will Serve “Forgotten People”

ActionSA Guns for Voters in the Western Cape Reviving Fued With DA, Claims Party Will Serve “Forgotten People”

  • ActionSA is making political moves that are drawing a line in the sand between the party and the Democratic Alliance
  • The party announced it is making a bid for the DA's voters in the Western Cape, all the while distancing itself from the DA-led coalition in Ekurhuleni
  • The DA has not responded kindly to ActionSA's political moves claiming the party is setting DA mayors up for failure

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CAPE TOWN - ActionSA has decided to make a play for the Democratic Alliance's voters in the Western Cape, sparking the ire of the opposition party.

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba and DA leader John Steenhuisen
ActionSA is making a play for DA voters, causing a rift between the two parties. Image: Deaan Vivier
Source: Getty Images

Last month Herman Mashaba, leader of ActionSA, appointed a provincial chairperson in the Western Cape, Michelle Wasserman, cementing the party's move into the DA's territory.

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Wasserman, the former DA deputy mayor of Knysna, made a speech at a press conference after her appointment declaring that ActionSA would bring the DA under 50% in the province come the 2024 national elections. The newly appointed provincial chair claimed the party would serve the Western Cape's forgotten constituents and endeavour to shrink the gap between the have's and the have-nots.

Wasser's declaration was followed by ActionSA's decision not to be part of the DA's multi-party coalition in the City of Ekurhuleni. This comes after the dramatic ousting and re-election of Tania Campbell in the last couple of weeks.

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According to the ActionSA's national chairperson, the party doesn't believe it can involve itself in another unstable government which won't be able to withstand motions of no confidence from the African National Congress (ANC).

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Instead, the party's national chair, Micheal Beaumont told the media that ActionSA would take on the role of opposition in the Ekurhuleni council to ensure the DA coalition fulfils its mandate to deliver services to residents, News24 reported.

ActionSA's move has ruffled a few feathers at the DA, with the party releasing a scathing statement calling out ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba for "perplex politics".

The DA accused the party of trying to set DA mayors up for failure in its various Gauteng coalitions. DA national spokesperson Cilliers Brink also made reference to ActionSA's play in the Western Cape, stating that the party's mission to bring the DA under 50% in the province was a bid to bring the instability and uncertainty of coalitions to the Western Cape. TimesLIVE reported.

ActionSA terminated Abel TAU’s membership amid sexual assault allegations

In another matter, Briefly News reported that ActionSA decided to terminate Tshwane Mayoral Committee member Abel Tau following allegations of sexual misconduct and sexual assault of his friend's wife.

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The political organisation stated that a senate meeting was held on Wednesday night, 9 November and evidence from the witness was heard.

Tau, who was the MMC for Human Settlements, previously denied the allegations against him and asked the ActionSA senate to place him under precautionary suspension pending investigations.

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Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Lerato Mutsila avatar

Lerato Mutsila (Current affairs editor) Lerato Mutsila is a journalist with 3 years of experience. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Pearson Institute of Higher Education in 2020, majoring in broadcast journalism, political science and communication. Lerato joined the Briefly News current affairs desk in August 2022. Mutsila is also a fellow of the 2021/2022 Young African Journalists Acceleration programme, which trained African journalists in climate journalism. You can contact Lerato at lerato.mutsila@breifly.co.za