The ANC says it wants a party with most of the votes to form coalition governments to avoid instability in governance structures.
ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said the reason for a party with the majority votes to form coalitions was also to stop political bickering.
There have been a change of mayors in municipalities since the 2021 local government elections.
In Tshwane, they have had three mayors in that period. In the City of Johannesburg, Mpho Phalatse was removed in January this year and she was replaced by Thapelo Amad of Al-Jama-ah, and he in turn was removed to make way for his colleague in Al Jama-ah, Kabelo Gwamanda.
ActionSA has filed a motion to remove Gwamanda from his position.
In Ekurhuleni, there was a change of mayor after Tania Campbell of the DA was removed and the ANC-EFF coalition put in Sivuyile Ngodwana of the African Independent Congress as mayor.
In KwaZulu-Natal, there have been changes in mayors after the IFP and EFF fell out and this led to the removal of IFP mayors in towns like Nongoma.
In Nelson Mandela Bay, they have had three mayors after the 2021 elections. Eugene Johnson of the ANC was ousted last year to make way for Retief Odendaal of the DA. But Odendaal has also been moved and member of the Northern Alliance’s Gary van Niekerk was elected mayor in June.
Bhengu-Motsiri said they want to end instability in coalition governments.
The proposal by the ANC was that the party with most of the votes should lead coalitions.
“The policy posture by the ANC on coalitions is that of advancing the principle that the party with the highest votes should be allowed to form a government so that service delivery is not hampered by endless political posturing, whether that party is the ANC or any other party, respect for majoritarian rule is what is emphasised by the NWC (national working committee), strengthening its official position anyway on our coalitions framework,” said Bhengu-Motsiri.
She also said the party that goes into a coalition with the ANC must share the same ethical and moral values.
The ANC Veterans League (ANCVL) at the weekend urged the ANC to review its coalition with the EFF.
ANCVL president Snuki Zikalala said the party does not share the same ethical and moral values as the EFF.
The ANC and EFF entered into coalitions to govern metros in Gauteng, with the exception of Tshwane.
Bhengu-Motsiri added that Deputy President Paul Mashatile will be leading the party’s work on coalitions.
“Deputy President Paul Mashatile will lead this process to consolidate the ANC’s stance on coalitions, as well as through his work deployed by the president in government,” she said.
She added that this was about hung municipalities because the ANC was preparing to win next year’s elections.
Opposition parties have already started discussions on coalitions, should the ANC not win the national elections outright.
The opposition parties will have a national convention on August 16 and17 in Kempton Park, Gauteng.
This will be preceded by a national coalition summit to be hosted by Mashatile in Cape Town on Friday.
Mashatile first spoke about the national coalition summit a few months ago when he was answering questions in parliament.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
Politics