What are the economic consequences of the DA’s surprising loss of the mayorship of Tshwane? Not many, you might argue. Pretoria is an important city, but all of SA’s metro areas are somewhat in flux; Tshwane experienced an unstable coalition that once again, typically, collapsed. Doesn’t make much difference, right?
In the actual vote, a Cope representative , Murunwa Makwarela, got 112 votes against the DA’s candidate, Cilliers Brink, who got 102. Shocker. There are two ways to look at the DA: the first is that it’s the party’s historical mission to try to build a centrist, non-racial party, picking up where the ANC left off. This is certainly what the “progressive” wing of the party wants. But another aspect of that mission is to just make sure it doesn’t implode by holding on to what it has, which is what the “realist wing” argues.
There is a counter-argument to the “realist” DA vision, which is that the 2019 election was actually a last gasp — or last grasp — at the past for the ANC. It had a popular candidate in President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is an inspiring leader, conjuring visions of returning to the halcyon days of the Mandela era.
This system is an act of cynical disregard for the voters and my guess is that voters, both at the national government level and in the cities, are not going to like it. Both Johannesburg and Tshwane are now run by leaders who have no real following on the ground and almost zero heft in the council. How is that going to work? Allow me to answer: Badly.
ZAtaxpayers & OUTASA , taxpayers' need your expert help on a tax revolt. 🙏🙏🙏🙏 Replicate the successes of Sannieshof & e-toll nationwide.
FreeTheCape