THE DA and EFF remained tight-lipped about coalition talks in hung councils last night.
By late yesterday, the main opposition parties were still scrambling for deals in several municipalities today, with small parties in a last-ditch attempt to ascend to power, including Gauteng’s key metros.
Without any declarations on the DA and EFF coalition stance, it was left to their disposition at the Marikana commemorative event to give the strongest hint of any co-operation between the two. Both Julius Malema and Mmusi Maimane appeared on the same stage in Marikana for the first time, along with leaders of other opposition parties, including COPE and the UDM – further fuelling speculation on today’s announcements on coalitions.
Malema was emphatic the Rustenburg Municipality would not fall into the hands of the ANC.
“I hear people say Jesus has arrived in PE (Port Elizabeth, won by the DA), no. Jesus has arrived also in Rustenburg,” Malema cynically said, referring to infamous comments by President Jacob Zuma that the ANC would rule until Jesus returned.
“No matter what happens, this municipality will never fall in the hands of the ANC… this municipality will be in the hands of the people. We are eating this elephant called the ANC piece-by-piece.”
His comments, however, came amid reports that his party had taken a stance not to form a coalition government with either the ANC or the DA – a decision that would mean Joburg would be governed by the ANC and Tshwane by the DA.
However, a DA official privy to the coalition talks said that agreements were reached between the EFF and the DA.
Today, Maimane and Nelson Mandela Bay mayoral candidate Athol Trollip were expected to brief the media on coalition negotiations. The coalition talks in Tshwane, a DA official said, were almost a done deal and an announcement would be made before the end of the week.