DA gets its Gauteng coalition ducks in a row

After a month of discussions with opposition parties, the DA has concluded coalition agreements in the Gauteng metros. 

The DA has partnered with ActionSA, IFP, FF Plus, COPE and ACDP to form majority governments in Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni.

This paves the way for the governments in the metros to pass an adjusted budget in February and the crucial integrated development plans (IDP) — which detail the service delivery needs of each metro — without the help of the EFF, which voted with the DA to give the party the mayoral chain in each of the metros. 

The EFF has, however, opted to remain on the opposition benches along with the ANC, which was in pole position to govern the metros before the EFF’s surprise vote during the respective inaugural council sittings in November.  

DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga told Sunday Times Daily on Monday that despite the majority governments, the party would still consult with opposition parties regarding crucial service-delivery issues in the metros. 

There is no uniform coalition agreement across the metros because each city has different needs, but the “principles are the same”, Msimanga said. 

When it is time for politics we use politics, but when it is time for service delivery then all of us band together behind the scenes to deliver.

—  DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga

“When it is time for politics we use politics, but when it is time for service delivery then all of us band together behind the scenes to deliver,” he said.

“The ANC and EFF have wards in townships, so there needs to be broad consultation.” 

Given the collapse of the rocky DA-led coalition agreements in the Gauteng metros and in Nelson Mandela Bay after the 2016 local government elections, Johannesburg mayor Mpho Phalatse said coalitions with smaller parties in Johannesburg were made in the interest of stability.  

Phalatse announced the mayoral committee for the city on Monday, after the announcements of the mayoral committee in Ekurhuleni by mayor Tania Campbell at the weekend. 

In Johannesburg, three of the 10-member mayoral committees have been given to ActionSA, including the economic development portfolio. The IFP, ACDP and FF plus all have one portfolio to govern, while the rest of the portfolios will be governed by DA councillors. 

“We would have loved to rush to announce 10 MMCs, but given the nature of the minority government that we had, we saw it prudent that we should give ourselves the time that we needed to talk to other parties and see if it cannot stabilise this government, by having a minority government turned into a majority coalition,” Phalatse said.

In Ekurhuleni’s 10-member mayoral committee, ActionSA councillors will be in charge of two portfolios, COPE and the IFP will govern one portfolio each and the DA councillors will oversee seven portfolios. 

Sunday Times Daily understands that Tshwane mayor Randall Williams will announce his mayoral committee this week after the conclusion of coalition agreements on Monday. 

Where coalition partners have not been given a portfolio to govern in each of the respective metros, the partners are likely to be elected into chair positions on the respective committees in the legislature.