The DA is a destabilising force in local government – Herron
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has been accused of undermining stability in local government by prioritising political power over principled governance.
That is according to Brett Herron, Secretary-General of the GOOD Party and one of the leaders of Unite for Change — a new political formation merging GOOD, Rise Mzansi and Build One South Africa (BOSA).
Speaking in an interview with Newsday, Herron said the DA’s conduct in municipalities such as Johannesburg had contributed to years of political chaos and leadership turnover.
“The Democratic Alliance is a destabilising force in local government because they are unprincipled and govern according to the need for power,” Herron said.
He pointed to Johannesburg as a prime example, noting that the city has had nine mayors in the past decade.
Herron said that this is a sign of deep instability and political opportunism across coalition arrangements, which he said the DA is not clean from.
The DA led a coalition in Johannesburg from 2016 to 2019 and again from 2021 to 2023. “The DA was governing, but for some reason they lost the support of their coalition partners.”
“At one point, according to Herman Mashaba, Helen Zille was working with the ANC to unseat him as a DA mayor while he was representing the DA.”
Zille has repeatedly denied such accusations, accusing Mashaba of working harder for the EFF than his own caucus.
Then, a second DA-led coalition, under Dr Mpho Phalatse, collapsed in early 2023. Zille attributed this to smaller parties consistently demanding more pounds of flesh.
It’s the old, dying parties causing instability – Herron
However, Herron argued that while the DA often blames smaller or newer parties for instability in coalition governments, its own record shows otherwise.
“They talk about smaller parties being the destabilising force in local government, but they must look at their own conduct,” he said.
“It is the older, dying parties that have destabilised municipalities because their instinct is to cling to power.”
“They govern according to the need for power, not principles,” he said. “When leadership becomes about control rather than competence, residents suffer.”
“When it comes down to putting governments together, the DA’s red lines and coalition ultimatums become meaningless,” he said.
“They’ve worked with the EFF before when it suited them, despite publicly saying they wouldn’t.”
Herron accused the DA of inconsistency and opportunism, saying it often engages in behind-the-scenes manoeuvring to retain control of key councils rather than focusing on service delivery.
Before Unite and GOOD, Herron was a member of the DA. He became a member when his party, Patricia de Lille’s Independent Democrats, merged with the DA.
The DA did not respond to queries from Newsday on the matter, but have consistently blamed smaller parties for much of the instability.
Unite for Change
Herron’s remarks come as Unite for Change positions itself as a new political alternative ahead of the 2026 local government elections.
The alliance, formally launched this month, seeks to consolidate parties with shared values to “end fragmentation” and provide voters with what Herron calls “competence and values in one political home.”
The formation combines the GOOD Party, led by Minister Patricia de Lille; Build One South Africa, led by Dr Mmusi Maimane; and Rise Mzansi, led by Songezo Zibi.
Together, they make up five of the 400 seats in Parliament.
Herron said their decision to contest the 2026 elections under one banner — rather than as separate entities — aims to offer stable governance and prevent the kind of coalition dysfunction.
The movement is currently recruiting candidates through a five-step vetting process that includes background checks, community endorsements, and public town halls.
“We want capable and ethical South Africans to step forward to help govern,” he said.
“When good people stay out of politics, the vacuum gets filled by those who see government as a job or an opportunity to feed illegally.”
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I would not trust Patricia or Mmusi as far as I see them. Always flip flopping to suit their agenda. They are a non-entity.