Coalition governments look set to become a defining feature of South Africa’s major metros as government has just signed the Coalition Bill, with Johannesburg experiencing some of the most severe political instability. Parliamentary Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs committee chairperson Dr Zweli Mkhize argues that South Africa should draw on the Danish coalition model to help stabilise municipalities.
The Local Government: Municipal Structures Amendment Bill, commonly known as the Coalitions Bill, tabled in parliament last week, comes at a critical time.
Coalition politics is no longer an exception in South Africa but has, over the years, become the norm in our political landscape.
The number of hung municipal councils where no political party received a majority, increased from 29 after the local government elections in 2000 to more than 80 after the 2021 elections.
More recently, in 2024, the outcome of the provincial and national elections showed that governing by coalition is no longer confined to municipalities.
