After extensive debate over the weekend, ActionSA decided that it will not be part of a multiparty coalition government with the Democratic Alliance (DA) and its coalition partners in Ekurhuleni, according to national chairperson Michael Beaumont.

The decision means the party's councillors won't form part of the mayoral committee that Ekurhuleni Mayor Tania Campbell is scheduled to announce soon.

But the move isn't surprising. ActionSA president Herman Mashaba has long decried the instability of the minority government in Ekurhuleni.

The DA and its coalition partners do not have enough seats to form a majority government in the Gauteng metro.

The fragility of the governance pact was most evident when Campbell was ousted in a motion of no confidence last month.

However, she was re-elected as mayor last week with the support of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). Her return was only the result of the failure of the African National Congress (ANC) and EFF to broker a coalition deal.

Service delivery

ActionSA doesn't believe that it can form part of another unstable government in Ekurhuleni, which it says won't be able to fend off motions of no confidence from the ANC.

Instead, the party will take on an opposition role and ensure the DA coalition delivers services to residents, Beaumont said at a briefing on Monday.

Beaumont said the party would "continue voting with the DA to block the return of the ANC", on council decisions, but negotiations would "be treated on a case-by-case basis".

The party bemoaned what it believes is poor service delivery in the metro, even though it formed part of the previous government there.

"We believe we need to fight for better service delivery for all residents in Ekurhuleni. This requires us to give up executive positions and ensure we can fight [un]encumbered by positions that co-opt our support.

"Going forward, ActionSA will form part of the voting bloc that will work to keep the ANC out of this metro by defeating motions of no confidence and working to pass decisions that serve the service delivery needs of residents of Ekurhuleni," Beaumont said.