MK Party rules out DA coalition ahead of Johannesburg elections

With Johannesburg’s political future at stake in the November 4 local government elections, the MK Party has ruled out a coalition with the DA, while other parties are setting out their conditions for governing the country’s largest city.

The competing positions expose the challenge facing parties seeking to end years of political instability that have threatened infrastructure projects, municipal finances and essential services. Analysts are divided over whether an ANC-DA partnership could offer greater stability or whether an alternative coalition could emerge without the DA.

Political analyst Sandile Swana believes the MK Party, EFF, ActionSA and Patriotic Alliance (PA) could play influential roles in determining the next administration, particularly through their mayoral candidates.

Swana blamed the ANC and DA for previous instability, warning that competition for political positions could undermine future coalition agreements.

“The greed and lust for power between the ANC and the DA actually collapsed, and they were never able to recover that,” he said.

He said negotiations could centre on whether the MK Party, EFF, ActionSA and other parties could establish a government excluding the DA, or whether the ANC and DA would pursue an arrangement similar to the national Government of National Unity.

Dr Harlan Cloete, a research fellow specialising in local governance and public leadership at the University of the Free State, argued that cooperation between the ANC and DA could offer a more stable alternative.

“If you want political stability, both the ANC and the DA have got a longer track record in government, and so they've got institutional memory,” Cloete said.

He warned that smaller parties could turn coalition negotiations into contests over positions, while repeated leadership changes disrupted municipal administration and service delivery.

“In Johannesburg, the smaller parties form the role of kingmaker really come into what is very transactional, and it is deal-making,” he said.

The contrasting views highlight the competing approaches to coalition-building as parties prepare for the elections.

The DA is focusing on winning control of Johannesburg outright rather than negotiating potential partnerships before voters go to the polls.

DA Johannesburg regional chairperson and MP Luyolo Mphithi said the party was campaigning across the city’s 135 wards.

“At this stage the DA is focused on an outright victory,” Mphithi said.

He said decisions about potential partnerships and municipal portfolios would depend on the election results.

The party’s priorities include reliable water and electricity, road maintenance, job creation, public safety and tackling corruption.

While the DA is postponing coalition discussions until after the election, the MK Party has already ruled out working with it in Johannesburg.

MK Party national spokesperson and acting deputy secretary-general Sifiso Mahlangu said the party’s approach to negotiations would be guided by its political principles.

“The MK Party has made its position clear that it will not enter into a coalition with the Democratic Alliance (DA) in Johannesburg,” Mahlangu said.

He said other partnerships would be considered after the elections, based on policy compatibility and an agreed governing programme.

The party wants improved revenue collection, credible budgets and stronger financial controls, arguing that negotiations should focus on governance rather than political appointments.

“Johannesburg needs more than an agreement that enables parties to elect a mayor,” Mahlangu said.

Al Jama-ah has urged parties to adopt an inclusive approach to coalition negotiations, prioritising economic development and cooperation between different spheres of government.

Party president Ganief Hendricks said parties needed to agree on a common programme to address Johannesburg’s challenges while protecting the independence of local government.

“Al Jama-ah is a reminder that at the centre of coalition alignment of political parties [are] the people and aspirations of a better quality of life,” Hendricks said.

He said municipal spending should support entrepreneurship and create employment opportunities for young people, women and people with disabilities.

Hendricks also called for national development programmes to be incorporated into Johannesburg’s Integrated Development Plan, with municipal budgets directed towards implementing them.

Build One South Africa (BOSA) has also outlined the principles it would apply to potential coalition arrangements.

BOSA deputy leader and Johannesburg mayoral candidate Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster said the party would work with organisations committed to ethical leadership but reject those implicated in corruption or promoting racial division.

She said BOSA would publish its coalition principles, including requirements for transparent appointments, financial accountability and measurable performance.

“Coalition agreements must protect critical infrastructure projects, sound financial management and essential services from political interference,” Hlazo-Webster said.