ANC negotiators have been sent to coalition talks armed with a framework which outlines various options that the party is considering, including swapping municipalities with potential partners.
The ANC's special national executive committee (NEC) meeting at the weekend adopted several possible coalition scenarios in all hung municipalities, according to NEC members who attended the meeting.
These scenarios, according to insiders, include:
- Grand coalition among parties where agreements would be reached regarding budgets;
- Government of local unity between the big party and smaller parties;
- Biggest party cooperating with other parties who would form a transactional voting pool; and
- A swap arrangement between bigger parties where they support each other in taking control of each municipality.
"In each municipality we will look at the variety of factors and we'll then be able to say which scenario will be able to apply," the member said.
ANC negotiators are scheduled to meet with their counterparts from the IFP today to discuss coalitions, especially in the hung Gauteng metros where the IFP has seats to tilt the balance of power towards Luthuli House.
At the weekend, the IFP which has seven seats in Johannesburg and three in Ekurhuleni said it would not work with the ANC.
IFP's treasurer and leader of the negotiation team Narend Singh confirmed that they will be meeting the ANC "from tomorrow onwards" about coalitions except in KwaZulu-Natal.
"We are talking to the ANC for other areas but we will be talking to other parties," Singh said.
The EFF, which the ANC has already met, has demanded a municipality to run in exchange of propelling ANC into power in some of the metros, another NEC member told Sowetan.
The member confirmed that the party will respond to the EFF soon, adding that there is a need to negotiate further with the Red Berets.
"Tshwane largely depends on negotiations between [Herman] Mashaba and the DA. We don't see the EFF voting with the DA in Johannesburg," the member said.
The NEC member and coalition negotiations lead negotiator Jeff Radebe stressed that the party would not risk it all in a bid to govern in hung councils.
Councils have 14 days to discuss and agree on coalition pacts after which councils must convene meetings where new governments would be formed.
"What is important to us is that we are not desperate to govern at all costs or have coalitions at all cost. We want to have normal coalition agreements with political parties that share the same values and missions as us like bringing about a better life for the people," Radebe said.
Some of the smaller parties that occupied solitary seats in the hung councils, including in Johannesburg, have indicated that they were planning to rally behind the ANC.
The AIC, which has a seat in Johannesburg and three in Ekurhuleni, indicated that it had told the ANC that the working relationship between the two parties would continue.
AIC's Margaret Arnolds said yesterday: "We will vote with them but we need to review and be able to say what the AIC wants as a partner and it's role in the coalition."
She said the party was discussing what its demands would be.
The PAC, which has seats in Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg, said coalition talks with the ANC and other smaller parties were still informal and that they had decided not to enter into any partnership with the DA and the FF Plus.
Izak Berg, leader of the Independent Ratepayers Association of SA (Irasa), which has one seat in the Ekurhuleni metro, is yet to speak to any party.
"I cannot get into any coalition which has the EFF because we are too far apart. I don't support the expropriation of land without compensation," Berg said.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.