Politicians have one job: save Johannesburg

Johannesburg's political future hangs on coalition negotiations as parties respond to the changing electoral landscape. The one thing just about everybody who has an opinion can agree upon was that these local government elections sent a clear signal: South Africans want change in the areas in which they live. But whether that signal will bring about any changes, or, indeed, will even hit the right ears, is something we’ll only find out with time. Another fact which will only emerge over the course of events – and the vote counting process is far from over as we write this – is whether some parties will have done as well as they have been predicting. In particular, it remains to be seen whether DA deputy leader Ashor Sarupen is on the money or not with his assessment that the party has got ballot paper crosses from a million black people for the first time in its history. If that turns out to be the case, then we can wonder whether South African politics is maturing to the point where people start to forget about whether the cat is black or white… as long as it catches rats. A DA with that support will find itself in a strong position to negotiate the coalitions which will inevitably flow from the lack of an outright majority for any one party. In the case of Johannesburg, the party is going to have to deal with Herman Mashaba and his ActionSA, which have put in a good showing. DA mayoral candidate Helen Zille has said firmly that the DA would rather work from the opposition benches if it does not get unfettered access to govern. Equally, Mashaba has closed the door to dealing with Zille. Now, however, is not the time for grandstanding or the politics of personality. Johannesburg is in intensive care and you politicians are the physicians who can save it.