Mashaba suspends ‘friend of Israel’
EFF may have forced Phalatse’s suspension
Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba sacrificed his health MMC and DA comrade to win over the support of the the EFF in Johannesburg.
Yesterday, Mashaba dropped a bombshell in a council meeting, announcing the immediate suspension of Dr Mpho Phalatse over her recent comments on Israel.
Shortly after Mashaba’s announcement, EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu tweeted that the mayor was acting “after the demand” of the red berets.
In a video doing rounds on social media, Phalatse declared over the weekend that she and the City of Johannesburg were friends of Israel.
Speaking during a South African Friends of Israel event at the Johannesburg City Hall, Phalatse said: “I would like to declare that I am a friend of Israel, and the City of Johannesburg is a friend of Israel! Shalom, Shalom!”
The EFF immediately called for her removal from the city’s executive committee, leading to Mashaba announcing at yesterday’s council meeting that he was suspending Phalatse.
Although Mashaba told council yesterday that the video footage provided no clear context, he’s taken a decision to suspend Phalatse pending an investigation.
“I was disappointed by the remarks, not as they relate to her personal beliefs, I will defend with my life the rights of any South African to hold personal belief of their choosing,” Mashaba said.
The Mashaba move was in contrast to the DA which slammed the South African government’s decision to withdraw the SA ambassador to Israel, after more than 50 Palestinians were killed by the Israeli military last month.
The party enjoyed close ties with Israel, as leader Mmusi Maimane also visited the country last year and met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Political analyst Dr Somadoda Fikeni said Phalatse’s comments “coincided with a sensitive period” for Mashaba, as he needed the red berets to pass the city’s budget, passed at yesterday’s meeting.
“It’s a political reality that when you are heading such a fragmented coalition, you wouldn’t want your officials to pronounce so strongly on a position that would cost controversy, more so at the time when you are preparing to persuade parties which have shot down your budget,” Fikeni said. Phalatse had now changed tune saying her “remarks where an expression of personal views”.
“I recognise that they do not represent the views of the City of Johannesburg or the Democratic Alliance, which I serve,” Phalatse said in a statement.
She said it was the DA’s official position to support a twostate solution, “with a secure Palestine and Israel living alongside each other”.
EFF’s Johannesburg leader Musa Novela said even though he couldn’t say if Mashaba had
‘ ‘ We want her to be referred to the ethics and integrity commissions
tried to appease them, they still wanted Phalatse fired from council.
“As much as we welcome her suspension, we want her to be referred to the ethics and integrity commissions of council,” Novela said.