Zanoxolo Jozana
The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) has issued new coalition guidelines as 138 municipalities face a 26 November deadline to constitute their councils following last week’s local government elections.
The 4 November elections left about 65% of South Africa’s metropolitan and local municipalities without an outright majority for a single political party.
The department said the first meetings of metropolitan and local municipal councils must be convened within 14 days of the publication of the election results in the Government Gazette on Wednesday, 11 November.
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The statutory period runs from 12 to 26 November, with district councils to be constituted after the relevant local councils have appointed their representatives.
The guidelines were developed using lessons from previous coalition governments, research into municipal governance and contributions from provincial governments, the South African Local Government Association and other stakeholders.
Cogta spokesperson Pearl Maseko-Binqose said the guidelines were designed to help political parties manage coalition arrangements without compromising municipal operations.
“The guidelines provide practical guidance to political parties and municipalities on managing coalition arrangements, resolving disputes, and ensuring political stability whilst protecting municipal administration and service delivery,” said Maseko-Binqose.
She said Cogta Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa had warned political parties against allowing coalition negotiations to delay the establishment of municipal councils.
“Minister Hlabisa says coalition negotiations must not delay the constitution of municipal councils or disrupt essential services. He calls on all provincial governments to support municipalities in implementing the guidelines and ensuring compliance with legislative requirements,” she said.
The Guidelines for Stable Coalitions in Local Government provide an interim framework while the Local Government: Municipal Structures Amendment Bill of 2026, commonly known as the Municipal Coalitions Bill, remains before Parliament.
The proposed legislation is intended to establish a formal legislative framework for managing coalition governments, particularly in municipalities where no political party has secured a governing majority.
In a statement, Hlabisa said political instability, frequent leadership changes and delays in decision-making had weakened municipal institutions and disrupted service delivery.
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“Coalition governance is a legitimate feature of our democratic system. However, our experience has shown that prolonged political instability, frequent changes in municipal leadership and delays in decision-making can weaken municipal institutions, disrupt administration and ultimately compromise service delivery,” he said.
“The people who suffer most from such instability are the residents who depend on municipalities for essential services. These guidelines are intended to assist municipalities and political parties to navigate coalition arrangements responsibly, while keeping the interests of communities and the effective functioning of municipalities at the centre of governance.”
The guidelines encourage political parties entering coalitions to conclude written agreements setting out their shared policy priorities, the allocation of political responsibilities, decision-making processes, standards of conduct and mechanisms for resolving disputes.
They also provide a template coalition agreement that parties can adapt to their municipalities.
A key provision seeks to protect municipal administrations from political interference, particularly in decisions involving appointments, procurement and the awarding of tenders.
The guidelines also encourage municipalities to strengthen council rules, delegation systems and other governance arrangements to ensure that approved budgets, integrated development plans and service-delivery programmes continue despite political disagreements.
Hlabisa has called on provincial governments and Members of Executive Councils (MECs) responsible for local government to distribute the guidelines, monitor compliance with statutory requirements and intervene early where instability threatens municipal operations.
Municipalities that fail to constitute their councils within the prescribed period will have to be dealt with in accordance with the applicable legislative provisions and procedures.
