ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba says the Democratic Alliance (DA) will have to humble itself if it hopes to secure coalition agreements in municipalities where it clinched council positions but remains a minority government. 

The DA has celebrated the historic election of its candidates in council positions in Gauteng's big metros, but there remains uncertainty about the stability of these minority governments. 

The party was handed council positions in Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni by ActionSA and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). 

Although it received support from ActionSA and the EFF, the blue house does not have any coalition deal with the red berets and Mashaba's party.

It is likely to face an uphill battle to pass any legislation in the councils and may have no choice but to turn to the opposition.

According to Mashaba, the DA's predicament is within its control if it chooses to humble itself and respect other political parties. 

He said the EFF and ActionSA had masterminded the plan to install DA candidates and added that the future of the municipalities was with the DA.

He remains concerned about the DA's opposition to a coalition block ahead of major council sittings but says he is open to negotiation.

Intentions

But he insisted that he had no motivation to see the DA fail. 

"The DA needs to understand this is not a gift. Why should they fail? Why would we want the DA to fail? They are going to have huge numbers, so why collapse such an arrangement? What is actually needed is for the DA to humble themselves and understand the complexity of coalitions," Mashaba said.

He added, "If they come to us, they must be prepared to humble themselves but if they do not want to, they can go somewhere else."

The DA made it clear that it did not want a coalition arrangement with the EFF, but Mashaba said his party's negotiations depend on EFF support. 

"If they want to talk to ActionSA, they must make sure the EFF is part of that arrangement and our meetings are going to be recorded because I do not really trust them. They have let us down on many occasions."

Negotiations

Both Mashaba and the EFF have supported insourcing as a policy to rid municipalities of expensive tenders. 

Mashaba remains resolute in his stance and says the DA should prepare to face demands on insourcing. 

"We voted for you, and as a matter of urgency, they must start the matter of insourcing. There is no way that we as ActionSA are going to sit back and allow ANC cadres to exploit our people who work as security guards and cleaners earning R3 000," he said. 

These are the demands Tshwane Mayor Randall Williams looks set to face as he runs a minority government for a second term. 

Williams said he had no plans to run a minority government in Tshwane and pushed for coalition negotiations to continue. 

"No negotiations are continuing and have not been finalised. There must be signed coalition agreements, and we will continue to pursue them," he said.