The close friendship between Build One South Africa (BOSA) leader Mmusi Maimane and his former executive assistant and family friend Tania Coenraad has collapsed like a weakly mounted local government election poster following a bitter dispute over her departure from the political party.
Africa Daily can exclusively reveal that Coenraad and Maimane no longer see eye to eye after the BOSA leader participated in a meeting in which she was informed that her contract as Chief of Staff would not be renewed.
The meeting took place on 5 June 2026 during what was initially a performance-review session, according to correspondence from Coenraad’s lawyers.
But the dispute has now moved beyond the workplace, with Coenraad taking the matter to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), where she is challenging what she regards as an unfair dismissal.
Maimane confirmed that the matter was before the CCMA but declined to discuss his relationship with Coenraad.
“My brother, I don’t discuss family matters with the media, secondly this matter is with the CCMA,” Maimane said.
Coenraad also declined to comment, saying the matter was sub judice as it was before the CCMA.
The fallout is particularly significant because Coenraad and Maimane were not merely political colleagues.
They were family friends, according to a highly placed source who asked not to be named for fear of reprisal.
The mole said the relationship between the two families predated Coenraad’s involvement in BOSA and was built around close personal ties and shared Christian values.
According to the deep throat, Maimane personally contacted Coenraad and asked to meet her and her late husband in Cape Town to check if she could help him build BOSA into a strong political organisation.
The tipster said Maimane had placed significant trust in Coenraad and her family because they shared what he regarded as important Christian values and principles.
After she agreed to work with him, Coenraad allegedly became closely involved in several aspects of Maimane’s political and public activities.
The source said she helped organise Maimane’s book launch and assisted him with fundraising efforts in the United Kingdom.
She also allegedly babysat Maimane’s children when he and his wife were busy.
The informant said the deterioration of the relationship had therefore left Coenraad feeling deeply betrayed.
“She feels extremely betrayed that Mmusi was not there for her when she needed him the most,” the source said.
The source also alleged that BOSA failed to pay Coenraad at a time when she was dealing with the death of her husband from cancer and needed an income to support her children as a widow and single mother.
Africa Daily has not independently verified the alleged non-payment.
The allegation is also not contained in the lawyers’ letter sent to BOSA on 11 June 2026, which focuses primarily on the non-renewal of Coenraad’s contract.
The letter, from Patton Williams Inc, provides a detailed account of the events surrounding her departure.
According to the lawyers, Coenraad joined BOSA on or about 1 February 2024 and subsequently worked under a series of fixed-term arrangements.
Her most recent contract appointed her as Chief of Staff from 1 July 2024 until 30 June 2026, at a gross monthly remuneration of R60 000.
The lawyers described the Chief of Staff position as a central and integral role within BOSA, involving executive coordination, strategic continuity, operational alignment and implementation of ongoing organisational commitments.
They said Coenraad attended a performance-review feedback discussion on or about 5 June, initially attended by Maimane, BOSA deputy leader and Joburg Mayorla Candidate Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster and HR consultant Phindile Msomi.
The lawyers said the feedback during the first session was, in material respects, positive and included recognition of Coenraad’s stakeholder engagement, parliamentary coordination, donor relations, organisational systems development and contribution to key strategic processes.
However, when the discussion resumed at approximately 2pm, Coenraad was allegedly informed that her contract would not be renewed.
She was allegedly asked to begin handing over her responsibilities and told that she could reapply for the position if it was advertised.
The lawyers said Coenraad had not received formal written communication confirming the non-renewal decision, the reasons for it, the date on which it was taken or the process followed before the decision.
They argued that BOSA’s conduct had created a reasonable expectation that Coenraad’s contract would be renewed or that she would be retained beyond 30 June 2026.
The lawyers cited her continued employment under fixed-term arrangements, her subsequent appointment to the more senior Chief of Staff role and the ongoing nature of the functions she performed.
They also pointed to Coenraad’s involvement in strategy discussions on 22 May concerning BOSA’s preparations for the 2026 Local Government Elections.
According to the letter, Coenraad was treated as part of the campaign team and expected to participate in ongoing campaign work, including fundraising and other strategic initiatives.
Her lawyers argued that these commitments extended beyond the expiry of her contract and reinforced her expectation that she would remain employed by BOSA.
The letter also challenges any suggestion that Coenraad’s departure was linked to restructuring, operational requirements, donor funding or organisational realignment.
“If BOSA’s position is that the non-renewal of our client’s contract is connected to restructuring, operational requirements, donor funding, or organisational realignment, then BOSA is required to substantiate that position,” the lawyers wrote.
They demanded that BOSA provide the reasons for the decision, identify who took it and provide details of the process followed.
They also demanded documents relating to any alleged restructuring, operational requirements, donor-funding constraints or organisational realignment.
The lawyers further demanded confirmation of who would perform Coenraad’s duties after 30 June and whether BOSA intended to advertise, fill, recreate or materially replicate the Chief of Staff position.
They warned that any subsequent appointment to the same or substantially similar position, or redistribution of Coenraad’s core duties to another person, could be relied upon in challenging the stated rationale for her removal.
The lawyers said Coenraad’s rights remained fully reserved, including her right to refer an unfair-dismissal dispute to the CCMA if the matter was not resolved.
BOSA was given until close of business on 17 June 2026 to respond to the demands.
Coenraad reported the nascent organisation to the CCMA in Cape Town . The matter was referred to arbitration after the two failed to reach a settlement during a conciliation process. It is alleged that during their discussion BOSA claimed that Coenraad was an independent contract but the commissioner ruled against it. During the conciliation, BOSA representatives allegedly wanted to settle but changed their position at a later stage, saying the party’s coffers were as dry as Kalahari dessert.
