Joburg mayor Herman Mashaba set to quit after DA elects Helen Zille as FedCo chair

City of Johannesburg DA Mayor Herman Mashaba. Picture: Timothy Bernard/African News Agency (ANA)

City of Johannesburg DA Mayor Herman Mashaba. Picture: Timothy Bernard/African News Agency (ANA)

Published Oct 21, 2019

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Johannesburg - City of Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba will on Monday hold a press briefing following the election of former Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Helen Zille as federal council (FedCo) chairperson at the party's weekend council meeting.

Speculation is rife that Mashaba will announce his departure at the briefing.

Weekend media reports indicate that Mashaba told DA insiders that he would step down as mayor if Zille was elected federal council chairperson.

Zille was elected on Sunday to replaced veteran council chairman, James Selfe, who stepped down. Selfe announced his intention to resign after the May 8 general elections. 

Mashaba enjoys a close work relationship with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the council chambers. The red berets vote on an issue basis.

The DA mayor survived another motion of confidence in August after the African National Congress unexpectedly withdrew the motion it brought against him. 

At the tumultuous council sitting, which was laden with adjournments, intermittent singing and accusations that speaker Vasco Da Gama was partisan, ANC councillor Loyiso Masuku rose to inform the chamber that the party would re-table its no-confidence motion in Mashaba at a later date.

African News Agency/ANA

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dahelen zille