Behind Jozi chaos: Alex Mafia, ANC, EFF - and now ActionSA

The reckless spending of money and the waste and corruption is not going to stop because ActionSA is getting into bed with the African National Congress (ANC). That is the warning of Democratic Alliance (DA) councillor and former Citizen Editor Martin Williams. “There's absolutely no way ActionSA can put a spoke in that wheel,” he says. In fact, says Williams, any party that gets into an alliance with the “divided and corrupt” ANC in the province will end up in an “unstable relationship because you don't know who to trust within the ANC”. He adds that the ANC doesn't even need ActionSA “to do anything” if the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is on board. “So they could be playing off each other forever, at least until 2026 when the next election happens”. He also dissects the different factions in the ANC and describes how the connection of the “Alex Mafia” weaves through it all. While Williams believes that a working relationship between a “reasonable” ANC and the DA is the only way to start turning the City around, “we cannot get into bed with the ANC as currently constituted”. Instead, the DA will work toward gaining a commanding position in the 2026 municipal elections.