The Gauteng provincial government is set to bring in legislation to stabilise coalition governments in municipalities, says cooperative governance and traditional affairs MEC Mzikayifani Khumalo.
In the proposed executive system, powers moves from a mayor and is given to a collective executive with a ward participatory system that effectively allows a new committee to run proceedings.
Simply put, this would be a power-sharing deal between political parties that obtained the most seats in the last local government elections.
This could force the ANC, DA and possibly the EFF to work together following the results of the 2021 local government elections.
Speaking to Sowetan, Khumalo said the collective executive was being considered, so much so it had been entered as a term of reference in a new feasibility study Cogta was to commission that's looking at strengthening coalitions.
Cogta in the Eastern Cape has already initiated plans to introduce the collective executive in Nelson Mandela Bay with the process still waiting for public comment.
"We're engaging with this [collective executive] at a political level and we might consider this. We want to consider this as a terms of reference of our study. Conflicts in coalition governments are as a result of executive powers mayors have.
“The collective executive system is an option that we should consider. [The Eastern Cape] is bringing something on the table – an option we can consider,” Khumalo said.
The executive system is already used in the eThekwini council where the committee is formed by proportional representation of the parties represented in council.
Should the province go ahead with the plan, it would be a full-proof plan to ensure the ANC always has access to the administration should the party's electoral fortunes continue to decline.
For the first time since the dawn of democracy, the ANC dropped below 50% nationally following the local government elections in November.
Khumalo said there was no straightforward answer to stabilising coalitions but they would support any proposal that sought to strengthen legislation because coalitions were here to stay.
“There must be some regulation and legislation will help us. Those agreements must be underpinned by service delivery more than political issues.
“We’re initiating a study around the same topic which will focus on the proposal of administration site of coalition government. Coalition government must not have destructive bearing on local administration. We’re putting together terms of reference and we’ll try to get service providers knowledgeable to facilitate this study.
“The point is if tomorrow, coalition collapses, it must not have direct bearing in administration. Municipal managers are getting under pressure."
Analysts agree that the collective system could help bring about stability in coalitions but added much more strengthened legislation would be needed long term.
William Gumede, an associate professor at the University of the Witwatersrand School of Governance, said stabilising governance was the most important thing.
“Suspicions are that it locks the ANC in for the long future which is the downside but the upside is what we need most is stability in governance because there’s so much instability and you can’t stop-start government. You need consistent leadership. It’s a good short term measure but look at the much more long term.”
Gumede suggested coalitions needed to have a legal agreement to make it difficult to walk away.
“The second thing is the possibility to allow minority governments to continue. If a coalition comes together, you have to make provision for when you can quit, then a minority government can continue until the next election,” he said.
Political analyst Lukhona Mnguni from the Rivonia Circle said the collective executive system forced parties to have constant conversation around governance instead of political squabbles.
“Stability is not frustrated by the composition of council but by the immaturity of politicians and machinations of politics. In some universe, you may find what the executive system forces is those parties who make it have to commit to working together, building tolerance, commit to fostering dialogue and not everything going to a vote.”
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