Herman Mashaba: ‘EFF never asked me for tender when I was Joburg mayor, and ANC remains lead party in Tshwane deal’
ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has heaped praises on the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) for supporting him consistently during his tenure as executive mayor of City of Johannesburg.
Mashaba said contrary to allegations, when he was still in the Democratic Alliance and leading the City of Joburg, the EFF officials never attempted to solicit any gratification or favours from him.
“I have the experience of running a coalition, coming from the business sector. When I took over the job, I had no idea what a mayor does at the time. I was given the responsibility to run a municipality, with the dependence of the EFF at the time. We really needed the EFF to be able to pass reports in council. In the three years as a mayor, the EFF were the most supportive of all the parties in the arrangement.
Mashaba told a multi-party briefing in Tshwane that in the three years he operated in conjunction with the EFF, they were a partner always ready to listen.
“Not a single EFF senior official or the leader, and I had on numerous engagements with them, came to my house or in any of the discussions, talked to us about tenders or any issue related to corruption. I am on record on that. I do not know if EFF can contradict that,” he said sparking laughter.
Mashaba made the remarks while flanked by EFF Gauteng provincial chairperson Nkukuleko Dunga and Gauteng ANC provincial chairperson Panyaza Lesufi who is also premier of South Africa’s most populous province.
IOL reported earlier on Wednesday that Dr Nasiphi Moya of ActionSA was tipped for election to replace recently ousted Tshwane mayor Cilliers Brink after a deal was clinched between several parties including ANC, ActionSA, and EFF.
Turning to the deal which places the Tshwane mayoral chain in the hands of ActionSA, Mashaba said the ANC which has the bigger percentage of votes in the metro, calls the shots.
“Personally, I have looked at the issues that Tshwane is facing and I am totally convinced that under the leadership of Dr Moya, this city can be turned around. In the coming days, she will be able to unpack the issues so that when we hold her accountable, we hold her on facts, not headline news,” he said.
Mashaba said Moya has made a commitment to turn Tshwane around.
“The beauty about it is that with the ANC as the lead party in this relationship, (they are) very supportive from national, provincial and regional structures here in Tshwane, as ActionSA we can only give that commitment,” said the former Joburg mayor.
IOL