The much-awaited results of the local government elections are out. We congratulate the Electoral Commission of SA for delivering on its mandate within four days.
While some challenges have been reported across the country, the elections were largely free and fair.
SA law requires newly elected municipal councils to hold their first meeting within 14 days.
One of the significant outcomes of these elections was the increase of hung municipalities from 70 in 2021 to 138 this year.
In our province alone that number rose from three to 12 — and that list includes Buffalo City Metro.
In all the hung municipalities, the message from the electorate is clear: no one party has a full mandate to govern by itself.
As politicians negotiate coalitions, they are reminded of an important responsibility: to find common ground and establish a government capable of serving the interests of the communities that elected them.
A hung municipality should not be confused with a political crisis. Rather, it reflects the diversity of political choices within our vibrant democracy and that outcome must be respected.
It presents an opportunity for political parties to demonstrate that cooperation, compromise and shared responsibility are possible, even where ideological and policy differences exist.
Coalition negotiations must be approached with honesty, maturity and a genuine commitment to the public interest.
They cannot simply become bargaining exercises centred on mayoral positions, executive appointments, committee chairs or the distribution of political influence.
The electorate voted because they expect functioning municipalities, reliable basic services, accountable leadership, responsible financial management and opportunities for local economic development. These expectations must remain at the centre of every coalition discussion.
This does not mean that parties must abandon their political identities. Neither does it mean that ideological differences should be ignored.
It means recognising that compromise is an essential feature of coalition government and that political differences should not prevent agreement on matters that directly affect residents.
Transparency is particularly key. Residents should not be left guessing about the agreements that determine who governs their municipalities and what priorities will guide municipal decision-making.
Equally important is the need for coalition partners to establish clear mechanisms for resolving disagreements.
The measure of a coalition should not be the absence of disagreement, but its ability to manage differences without repeatedly plunging the municipality into political uncertainty.
No-one would want to see the level of instability witnessed in the Gauteng metros in the past five years. Instability has consequences that extend beyond political parties.
When municipal councils become consumed by motions of no confidence and repeated coalition realignments, the communities they serve risk becoming secondary to political developments.
The people have voted. The responsibility now rests with their elected representatives to demonstrate that their democratic mandate can be translated into accountable, stable and effective local government.