Fallout 'won't sink GNU'

Party leader says country and people come first despite dispute.

- Eric Naki

Political instability, chaos and suffering of residents are predicted to become common features in the country's metros and other municipalities as the bitter fallout between the ANC and DA threatens to engulf the local government sphere.

DA leader John Steenhuisen said yesterday his party would ensure the country comes first. He made it clear that government of national unity (GNU) was safe, but the fallout with the ANC in Tshwane would also affect their “stability agreement” in all other municipalities where they agreed to cooperate.

The party understood that the GNU agreement was not going to be cascaded to local government level, he said.

This week, DA federal council chair Helen Zille had also threatened that her party would pull out of the “stability agreement” it entered into with the ANC at the local government level.

Zille demanded that the ANC should support the reinstatement of former DA Tshwane mayor Cilliers Brink but the ANC refused and instead opted to back Action SA councillor Dr Nasiphi Moya, who was subsequently elected as mayor.