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Coalition-run metros will hurt service delivery - analyst

Cape Town -  Service delivery in South Africa could be even more on the backburner if coalition governments were to rule metros other than Cape Town.

According to Ralph Mathekga, political analyst, the country could head for a period of significant instability at local government level if coalition governments were to be formed in Nelson Mandela Bay, Tshwane and Johannesburg.

The most recent polls project that no political party will get an outright majority in some of the larger metro councils, which means the party with the most votes will have to find a coalition partner to govern.

Veteran journalist Allister Sparks wrote in his Business Day column this week that the upcoming local government election on 3 August would usher in a “new era of coalition politics”, as it seems that the ANC is unlikely to achieve 50%+1 to be solely in power in some councils.

Mathekga says it’s difficult to determine the outcome of the local government elections, as individuals and wards play a big role, which could influence a particular political party’s reputation.

He agrees, however, that the ANC is unlikely to get an outright majority in Nelson Mandela Bay.

Mathekga agrees. “I don’t foresee that the DA and EFF would win an outright majority to enable them to govern on their own.” Political parties would therefore be compelled to form coalitions with other opposition parties, or with the ANC."

Coalition governments pose their own challenges though. “They are by nature unstable and parties don’t cooperate, which could further hamper service delivery,” Mathekga says.  

According to him, coalition governments often collapse when parties disagree. “I don’t see them compromise on things like budgets when opposition parties rule in coalition at local government level and service delivery will suffer because of this.”

There have been a number of incidences in the past where municipalities failed to submit their integrated development plans (IDPs) due to disagreements and differences. An IDP is a five-year plan which local government is required to compile to determine the development needs of the respective municipality. “It’s a serious concern,” Mathekga says.

“Many ward councillors act out of self-interest and they bargain on positions to get what they want. If that is no longer the case they can collapse councils.”

          
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