Mohamed Ameen Dabhelia – 2016-08-30

The African National Congress (ANC) in Johannesburg says they are concerned and disturbed by the Democratic Alliance’s (DA’S) Herman Mashaba’s choice of MMCs for the City of Joburg.

According to a press statement released by the ANC’s Joburg Secretary General Dada Morero, the newly elected Mayor of Joburg has been accused of “wasting no time in appointing controversial figures like the pro-Israel and pro-AfriForum member Rabelani Dagada as MMC of finance.”

Dagada recently returned from a trip to Israel and according to Morero, Dagada shared a view “that he does not consider Israel an apartheid state.”

The ANC says that “the DA’s appointment of Dagada is not only a major blow in the City of Joburg towards solidarity and internationalism, but also an insult to all of us peace- and justice-loving residents of Joburg who support the Palestinian people, among other oppressed groups.”

Speaking to Radio Islam, the DA’s Mashaba says he will give Dagada an opportunity to explain himself.

“We have a workshop starting today with different heads of departments, so hopefully during a break, I will be able to bring him in to my office to get his explanation.”

Mashaba says he did not appoint Dagada to fix international politics.

“Our role is to look after Johannesburg; we don’t have the competency to comment on international matters.”

Mashaba adds that international matters don’t only refer to Palestine.

“It’s Kenya, Somalia, Zimbabwe, and I don’t want to lose focus – because the people of Johannesburg elected me to fix up their city.”

Mashaba says international matters should be referred to national government.

Twitter: @thedabhelia

(Edited By Faizel Patel)