Cape Town - The ANC national executive committee (NEC) will convene a meeting to consider a report following the conclusion of negotiations for coalitions in hung municipalities.
This was confirmed by the party’s spokesperson, Pule Mabe.
In a statement, Mabe said the party had completed its engagements with political parties that would form coalition partners in the hung municipalities.
“This process has been a three-tier process with discussions involving all layers of leadership throughout the country,” he said.
This comes in the wake of an announcement by the IFP that it had agreed with the ANC that, in hung municipalities in KwaZulu-Natal, a party that had a majority would form a government without the other getting in its way.
Other than KZN, the metros in Gauteng, Nelson Mandela Bay and eThekwini need coalition partners. No party got an outright majority in those metros.
Parties are vying for Joburg, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, Nelson Mandela Bay Metro and eThekwini. The ANC was able to snatch Mangaung and Buffalo City with outright victories, while the DA took the City of Cape Town.
The party’s top leaders recently adopted a framework for negotiations based on a number of principles.
These included clean governance and adherence to the rule of law and the principles enshrined in the Constitution as well as the primary of goal of the ANC, which is the transformation of South Africa into a truly non-racial, non-sexist, united and democratic country.
Mabe said his party and coalition partners remained determined to use all means in municipalities and other spheres of government to end corruption.
He also said they were encouraged by the positive nature of the discourse they held with other political parties.
“We are happy that most hung municipalities will now take the next step to establish councils. We also sought out people who value the stability of our country as a prerequisite to successful development.”
Mabe said their relationship with other political parties brought together organisations that were steeped in putting people first.
“We have also agreed with the IFP in KZN that where they are in the majority, they will govern, and where the ANC is the majority, we will govern.
“Our task is to unite the people of our country, and by working together to provide services to the people we will begin a process of uniting organisations based on common ground,” he said.
Mabe also said the ANC NEC would be convening over the weekend to receive a report on coalition talks, including an update on potential coalition agreements.
“At the conclusion of the NEC, the ANC will address the media and the people of South Africa, giving a more detailed account of coalition partners.
“We will also announce all our mayoral candidates,” he added.
mayibongwe.maqhina@inl.co.za
Political Bureau