Read more
Tshwane likely to have another DA-led coalition as parties try to block ANC-EFF union
Despite the multitude of challenges faced by the previous DA-led coalition, several smaller parties appear willing to give it another try.
A general view at the IEC results centre in Tshwane on 2 November 2021. Picture: Jacques Nelles
Results for the highly contested City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality are not looking good for either the ANC and DA, but two of the top five parties in the city are willing to work with the DA to reduce chances of an ANC-EFF coalition.
While 97% of the votes in the metro have been captured and finalised, the ANC and DA have both failed to achieve a majority, with results standing at 34.55% and 32.08% respectively by Thursday morning.
The top five parties in the city include the EFF at 10.71%, followed by ActionSA at 8.61% and Freedom Front Plus (FF+) at 7.84%.
After five years of a DA-led coalition in the city, four different mayors, being placed under administration in 2019, and a failed DA-EFF relationship, it seems smaller parties remain more willing to support the DA than the ANC.
While no formal coalition talks have started, the FF+ are willing to back the DA again, said the party’s member of Parliament (MP) Wouter Wessels.
“We are currently in coalition with the DA in certain municipalities like Tshwane, since 2016. So, we will do that again. We will hold them more accountable than we could in 2016, because we were much smaller. We now have a larger chunk of power in such coalitions. So, we will definitely do that,” he said.
While ActionSA has been vocal on never working with the ANC, a coalition with the DA and smaller parties in Tshwane would be ideal for service delivery.
The party’s mayoral candidate in Tshwane, Abel Tau, said while they were still considering the best possible combination of parties to deliver services, working with the DA and other parties could be possible.
“To an extent, even at face value, there are a lot of things we can agree on like our fight against corruption and to employ the best people to do the job and hold people to account. We can all agree that we have failed the people of Tshwane in terms of Hammanskraal water, in terms of the general basic service delivery and therefore it is easier and more workable if you look at the combination of parties,” said Tau.
