By Anél Powell
Preparations for the 2010 World Cup would have been set back at least three months if the Independent Democrats had sided with the ANC and Africa Muslim Party to topple the DA-led coalition, says executive mayor Helen Zille.
Speaking at the first public gathering of the new-look multiparty executive committee, that now includes two ID councillors and no AMP members, Zille said: "(Where we are now) is a much more comfortable place to be than Monday (last week) was. For the simple reason that, as we entered Tuesday (last week), we were a minority government. Now we have a 39-seat majority ..."
She commended the ID for turning down a "more attractive offer" from the ANC to take up the DA's offer of two seats on the executive mayoral committee, including deputy mayor, and a sub-council chair position. "The ID opted instead to stabilise the city," said Zille.
She said the changes that would have resulted from a power shift to the ANC would have delayed projects, most notably 2010.
ID caucus leader Simon Grindrod said: "We must all be clear that this was not done for the DA, to bring us closer to the DA or away from the ANC. It was done for Cape Town. We put the city first."
He acknowledged that the opposition's offer of four mayoral committee positions had been a "better offer" than the DA's offer.
Charlotte Williams of the ID, who will take over from the ACDP's Andrew Arnolds as deputy mayor, said: "This was no easy decision, but we did what was the best way forward for the city." Her new position will be ratified by the full council on January 31.
A relaxed Zille said little about the attempted coup by the AMP and subsequent bid by controversial councillor Badih Chaaban to move into the deputy mayoral seat.
Instead, she thanked Arnolds for stepping down from his position as deputy mayor to ensure stability in the government. Zille commended the smaller parties for not taking the bait to "jump and save your position", that was offered by the opposition during negotiations. She said Dumisani Ximbi, of the UDM, was particularly "wooed" to join the proposed alliance with the ANC.
"But they (UDM) said they would rather (be) the opposition themselves than betray the coalition (and join the ANC)," said Zille. Ximbi, said the UDM wanted to "save our people from a one-party state".
With this political battle won, Zille said she was confident the DA-led coalition would retain the Hout Bay seat in the municipal byelection next month, increasing its seat majority to 125 versus the ANC, AMP and PAC's combined 85.