CHARLES MOLELE
DAVID Makhura, the ANC’s head of political education, has announced that the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting will not be discussing any coalitions with the Democratic Alliance (DA) or the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) for the upcoming general elections. Instead, Makhura said, the focus will be on achieving an outright victory in the elections next year.
Makhura was briefing the media at the ANC NEC meeting in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni.
According to Makhura, the ANC has conducted a comprehensive assessment of all the municipalities and analyzed every party and grouping in each municipality.
He said the ANC is focused on achieving a clear victory in the 2024 elections by going back to the people and addressing their concerns.
Makhura also expressed his view that coalition governments should not disrupt public administration, suggesting that the ANC is wary of forming coalitions that could potentially hinder the delivery of services to the public.
“We are working for a clear victory for the 2024 elections. Our discussions are focused on current local government challenges with coalitions, and not outcomes of 2024 elections. Our 2024 elections approach is to gain outright majorities,” said Makhura.
“We are not investing in coalitions; we are investing in going back to the people. We have done a full assessment in all the municipalities. We have analysed every party, every grouping, in every municipality.”
There are currently 80 hung councils in the country following the 2021 local elections.
In Gauteng, the ANC has failed to win enough votes to govern in all three key metros and has faced numerous motions of no confidence in their mayors.
The changes in mayors through motions of no confidence also reflect the instability that can occur in local government when there is a lack of clear majority.
There has been speculation that in exchange for delivering the three Gauteng metros of Joburg, Tshwane, and Ekurhuleni back to the ANC, EFF leader Julius Malema will be made Deputy President when new Deputy President Paul Mashatile is brought in to replace Cyril Ramaphosa.
The DA has ruled out participating in any coalitions with the EFF during the upcoming general elections. Analysts say the only circumstances under which it would be rational for the DA to form a coalition with the ANC would only be to keep the EFF out of power.
In Joburg, the EFF initially voted in council for the DA Mayor, Mpho Phalatse, after the 2021 election. The EFF supported the DA in a bid to frustrate the ANC’s attempt to govern the city.
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