Was progress being made?
Yes, especially in Ekurhuleni and Nelson Mandela Bay, and even potentially in eThekwini.
In spite of this you’ve halted negotiations?
Yes. It’s very important for the ANC to understand they cannot mess us around and treat us as if we are captives; they have to act in good faith. The stability pact means just that. It means we agree not to pass motions of no confidence against their mayors unless there is egregious wrongdoing, and they agree not to pass motions of no confidence against our mayors unless there is egregious wrongdoing. They violated this and expect us to continue as intended. It doesn't work that way, it's give and take. And it's not only the DA giving and the ANC taking.
Is it worth sacrificing so much progress in three metros for Tshwane?
The ANC can’t ask for stability in the metros they lead but instability in the metros the DA leads. If we allow that imbalance to enter our relationship with the ANC we will be co-opted. We have no intention of being co-opted, we are sharing power.
So where to from here?
The ANC has to understand that we will not be messed around. When we were talking about a stability pact it was very clear they would leave Brink alone in Tshwane.
Was it a mistake to issue such a public ultimatum to the national ANC to make Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi reinstate Brink?
It is certainly not a mistake to have a public fight with the ANC when they treat us like that. People have to know that we won't tolerate it.
Given the internal dynamics of the ANC, didn’t it almost guarantee they wouldn’t be able to comply?
It’s not for the DA to try and solve the ANC’s internal problems for them. They’ve got a massive internal problem with Lesufi, and it’s not going to be resolved by anything the DA says or doesn’t say.
How will ending the stability pact affect the GNU?
I’m not sure whether at this stage it’s going to affect the GNU. But we are very clear, from the GNU’s perspective as well, that we will continue standing up for things that are critical in terms of accountability. For example, we are looking to have the decision not to prosecute anybody on Phala Phala reviewed. We’re not letting that slip away. We are continuing with major court cases that are not just going to evaporate because the ANC doesn’t like them.
Will the economic consequences of metro instability affect Cyril Ramaphosa’s presidency come the ANC’s elective conference in 2027?
Ramaphosa must answer that. If the ANC is as internally divided as they are, the DA cannot solve that problem for President Ramaphosa. The only people who can are the voters in the next election.
Are you concerned by polls showing the successes of the GNU have boosted the ANC’s support more than the DA’s?
It has also boosted us very nicely. We must make sure we continue fighting for the people who put us there, and not try to be popular with the ANC.
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