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The Citizen
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
Coalition politics reveal deep contradictions
The Coalition Barometer II reveals coalition governments are here to stay, but political infighting continues to undermine their effectiveness. A new study reveals that contradictions and robustness are common features among current coalition partnerships at all levels of government after the May 2024 elections. The partners often use coalitions as a platform for political contestation, to challenge each other without risking consequences. They still want to remain in the coalition government to benefit from its advantages. The study said the government of national unity (GNU) may continue, but under duress, and coalitions, rather than majority party governments, are set to become common in future. GNU may continue, but under duress – study The ANC, which obtained 40% in the 2024 elections, used the GNU to consolidate for future elections, hoping to increase its support and take power again. These are some of the key trends emerging from the Coalition Barometer II report released in Johannesburg on Tuesday. The study by a team from Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (Mistra) was headed by Mistra's director of research, Prof Susan Booysen. ALSO READ: Coalitions and political appointees are hobbling municipalities It looks at coalition governments at local, provincial and national levels following the 2024 national and provincial elections. It focuses on the growth and manifestation of coalition politics at local level and divergence of contemporary coalition politics from the post-1994 practices to trends from 2023-2025 and the influence of provincial and national practices. According to Booysen, the Barometer II's core objectives are to identify South African's emerging culture of coalition politics and governance and to use the knowledge to consider paths to improvement. Calming of government coalition government Diving into the coalition trends, Booysen described a relative calming of local government coalition government during the period, where coalition partnerships did not preclude intra-coalition contest. She said while the calming also affected the national coalition, GNU politics had helped to elevate the ANC and enhanced its status including at local level. In the process, smaller political parties derived greater benefit from their association with the ANC, while they helped the ANC regain power in several municipalities. ALSO READ: Bank surveillance and poverty risk: UBIC warns of devastating impact on Sassa beneficiaries Party politics and relentless office-seeking dominated coalitions undermined the coalition governments' functionality at all levels. 'No party has accepted coalition governance as inevitable for the future. Political parties used their coalition statuses as political weapons to gain strength and status for the future, not just on the eve of the elections. 'Parties showed growing awareness that their coalition involvement may threaten their electoral futures. Growing awareness that involvement may threaten electoral futures 'This impacted coalition government operations,' the report said. Coalition government performance at all levels was marked by constrained state capacity and failure of public policy and service delivery programmes to meet people's demands. The report highlighted the GNU's 'serial crisis of policy' marked by endemic acrimony between the ANC and the DA, while the other eight parties in the GNU participated in a low-key manner with no demands. ALSO READ: SA's coalition government is at risk of crumbling: Why collapse would carry a heavy cost However, despite differences, neither the ANC nor the DA wished to be seen as breaking the coalition. 'Both pulled back from the brink on several occasions.' The study identified a glaring contradiction where political parties tended to enter into coalitions irrespective of their ideological or policy differences, which they negotiated around. Glaring contradiction Booysen cited some contradictory partnerships – the ANC-Freedom Front Plus coalition in the Western Cape and Northern Cape, while elsewhere the DA and the EFF cooperated regardless of the respective party positions at national level. While the GNU was replicated in some municipalities, the statement of intent (SOI) did not serve as a blueprint for local coalitions. 'Parties largely followed local dynamics, ignoring national directives. 'Local and provincial relations between parties often overrode parties' national directives, with coalition governments forming on the basis that any combination of parties was acceptable,' Booysen said. ALSO READ: ANC NWC: GNU needs a 'reset' after budget fiasco [VIDEO] The SOI was the only formal GNU agreement, but it does not stipulate how the GNU might be terminated or redesigned, although it was used to inform the KwaZulu-Natal coalition formation. The DA relied on litigation to challenge ANC policy decisions. The parties should have used a clearing house to resolve their disputes, the report said. Booysen said that although the ANC did not get an outright majority in the last election, it had been able to take the space to provide leadership in the country. ANC not handing power on a platter It remains entrenched in the state structures. 'The ANC is not prepared to hand over power on a platter,' Booysen said. The Barometer II indicates that municipalities struggle with governance and local coalitions are mired in political instability. The municipalities also struggle with declining ability to deliver and maintain services against residents' rising expectations of better services, which they often cannot pay for, while the councils are incapable of generating income. NOW READ: 'We only learned of this through the media': Al Jama-ah slams 'reckless decision' over Gwamanda
TimesLIVE
3 days ago
- Politics
- TimesLIVE
ANC under pressure in Free State, Mpumalanga — 'only Limpopo, Eastern Cape safe'
The ANC could be in for a major provincial shake-up in 2029. Researchers say the party could lose more provinces in the next general election and only retain Limpopo and the Eastern Cape. New research from the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (Mistra) suggests its support in Mpumalanga and the Free State is waning. Susan Booysen, author of the Mistra Coalitions Barometer II, said: 'Mpumalanga and the Free State could be on the verge of provincial coalition governments. 'Only Limpopo and the Eastern Cape seem to be secure now. If election trends continue, other provinces could possibly have coalition governments after the next election.'
Eyewitness News
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
Analysts say DA's court tactics within GNU an effective way to challenge positions it disagrees with
JOHANNESBURG - While some have accused the Democratic Alliance (DA) of undermining the Government of National Unity (GNU) by taking matters to the courts, analysts say it's the most effective way to retrospectively challenge positions it disagrees with. The DA has taken both the Expropriation without Compensation Act and the Employment Equity Amendments Act to the courts. In April, it successfully challenged the passing of a fiscal framework in Parliament, a move the African National Congress (ANC) pushed through with the help of non-GNU parties like ActionSA and Build One South Africa (BOSA). The DA is the second-largest member of the GNU. Its attempts to reverse the government's stance on the two acts, as well as the Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Act and the National Health Insurance (NHI) Act, have been politically unsuccessful. READ: DA argues Parly erred in processing of Employment Equity Amendment Act Independent analyst, Luhkona Mguni, said it was not surprising, as the DA is known for being litigious. But he said that government must ensure there are no gaps in the laws passed. "The other question is those who frame legislation, regulations and policies are adherent to the Constitution, cause whether they are taken to court by the DA, or any other entity for that matter, if what they are prescribing and what they are putting on paper and passing through our institutions of democracy does not stand constitutional master, then there is a problem." This week has also seen the courts deliver judgment on the dual citizenship challenge and cadre deployment, which were taken up during the DA's time on the opposition benches. Meanwhile, Wit's University's Professor Susan Booysen said that the DA's decision to use the courts sent an important message to its supporters. "DA wants to show its followers, its voters, that yes, we have influence to make a difference. We saw it articulated in a statement by Helen Zille a day or so ago, where she says they will operate in whatever way it has the most impact."
