Still reeling from the DA's decline in electoral support at national level, the DA is ideally placed to open cooperation talks with the ANC in at least Tshwane, Johannesburg and Nelson Mandela Bay, writes Adriaan Basson.
The biggest political story of last week was not PublicProtector Busisiwe Mkhwebane's latest finding against Public EnterprisesMinister Pravin Gordhan, but the EFF's divorce from the DA in the Johannesburgand Tshwane metropolitan councils.
EFF leader Julius Malema's infantile outburst against the DAfor refusing to hand them the Tshwane mayorship has given party leader MmusiMaimane his biggest vitamin shot since the DA's sobering election results inMay. Maimane is now in a unique position to drive the realignment of ourpolitics from a local government level before the 2021 municipal elections.
My two cents on Mkhwebane's latest salvo against Gordhan:from everything I have heard and seen, including by lawyers who have read herreport, Gordhan should pretty comfortably win a review application, which he ispoised to file this week. Mkhwebane's report contains "glaring legalerrors", says an advocate who I implicitly trust.
Let's wait and see. Ignore the EFF-led praise singers ofMkhwebane and their hangers-on in the media and elsewhere. Their party is premature.Don't expect President Cyril Ramaphosa to act on Mkhwebane's report before acourt has had a look at it. He will be fully justified delaying implementationof her recommendations based on the judicial criticism against her office inthe Estina and Absa cases.
The courts will be busy in the next month.
In the six years that I have been involved in the coverageof the so-called "rogue unit" case, I am yet to see any evidence thatimplicates Gordhan in criminal wrongdoing. His detractors are purposefullytrying to conflate two cases - the setting up of the unit (which Mkhwebanefound was unlawful) and the alleged illegal operations of the unit (which iscurrently on trial in the High Court).
In the absence of evidence, yet to be produced, Gordhancannot be blamed for each and every misdeed of the unit, if the court so finds.
Back to Malema's early Christmas gift to Maimane. Stillreeling from the DA's decline in electoral support at national level, the DAis ideally placed to open cooperation talks with the ANC in at least Tshwane,Johannesburg and Nelson Mandela Bay.
This could steer the way to further talks around futurecoalitions, where centrist parties like the ANC and the DA may be required towork together to govern - nationally, provincially and at local level. Bycentrist I mean parties who fully subscribe to the values and prescribes of theConstitution, including upholding human rights, the rule of law, democraticelections and non-racialism.
In future, moderate voters are likely to want parties whoshare the same beliefs to work together against the tide of growing radicalismin formal politics.
In plain terms: Maimane and Ramaphosa are much more suitablebed mates than Maimane and Malema.
The effect of the EFF's withdrawal from their messyone-night stand with the DA has already been felt: in Tshwane the ANC votedwith the DA to pass the budget, which the ANC said was pro-poor, and inJohannesburg the ANC has provisionally supported Mayor Herman Mashaba's capitalbudget, while the party is finalising its position on voting with the DA ornot.
Nelson Mandela Bay is on a knife's edge with the UDM-ledcouncil hanging by a thread due to the EFF's withdrawal of its support for theDA or the ANC. This means the DA and the ANC will be forced to work together toavoid a collapse of council and early elections.
What is in it for the ANC to support DA-led councils?
Ramaphosa is fighting fires from within, led by his roguesecretary-general Ace Magashule, who is undermining him and his vision for thecountry around every corner. Establishing coalitions or working agreements witha party that shares his belief in constitutionalism could alienate theradicals, rogues and racists in the ANC further and drive them into the arms ofthe EFF.
Like Thembinkosi Lorch against Egypt, Maimane should takethis ball and run with it while the goalbox is open.
