ANC and DA centralize coalition talks ahead of South African elections — TimesLIVE
In South Africa, the African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) are centralizing decision-making on coalitions after the municipal elections on November 4. The ANC secretary-general’s office will oversee the party’s negotiations, while all DA coalition agreements must be approved by its federal executive, TimesLIVE reports.
ANC national executive committee member and member of the party’s negotiating team Parks Tau said that the approach to coalitions would be determined by the national leadership. According to him, the body headed by the party’s secretary-general will be able to make recommendations on agreements.
Control over coalition agreements
The DA federal executive plans to meet regularly after the voting results are announced to consider and approve coalition arrangements. The negotiations will determine who controls municipal councils, how executive positions and budgets are allocated, and whether local administrations can stably provide basic services.
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Coalitions are expected to be needed in most major urban municipalities. TimesLIVE notes that the centralization of negotiations indicates the national leaderships of both parties seek to strengthen control over the political course of local administrations.
Ipsos poll
An Ipsos poll released on Friday showed that no party has majority support at the national level. According to the survey, support for the ANC is at a historic low, although the party is likely to remain the largest.
The DA leads in Johannesburg and Tshwane and has about half the vote in Cape Town. Ipsos political analyst Mari Harris urged parties during negotiations to assess not only the possibility of surpassing the 50% threshold, but also the principles, experience and ability of potential partners to govern together. She recalled that many coalitions formed after the 2021 local elections proved unstable, leading to frequent leadership changes and disruptions in service delivery.
