Ramaphosa wants ANC to ditch DA in Johannesburg coalition talks

Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa has reportedly urged the ANC to explore coalition options that exclude the DA in Johannesburg, amid growing divisions within the governing party over its relationship with its government of national unity partner.

According to TimesLIVE, Ramaphosa made the proposal during Monday’s National Working Committee (NWC) meeting, where it received support from party leaders who are increasingly opposed to working with the DA in Gauteng’s metropolitan municipalities.

The issue is expected to feature prominently at Thursday’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, which will determine the party’s approach to coalition negotiations following its disappointing performance in the November 2026 local government elections.

In Johannesburg, the DA emerged as the largest party with 34.79% of the vote, followed by the ANC with 20.25% and ActionSA with 16.27%, leaving the city facing coalition negotiations.

Gauteng ANC leaders reportedly proposed working with ActionSA across all three metropolitan municipalities, with an insider telling TimesLIVE that the proposal received overwhelming support.

Mounting pressure 

“Gauteng province made a proposal to work with ActionSA across all three metros and there was an overwhelming endorsement,” the insider said.

The insider added that although the ANC would approach the DA, an agreement between the two parties in Johannesburg was unlikely.

The ANC’s position comes as the party faces mounting pressure following a significant decline in electoral support.

According to Reuters, the ANC secured 30.76% of the national vote, down from 45.59% in the 2021 local government elections.

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula described the election outcome as catastrophic, saying: “And if anyone has not heard what the people are saying through this election, then we are lost. This has been a very catastrophic outcome for the ANC.”

Meanwhile, the DA’s Johannesburg mayoral candidate, Helen Zille, has indicated that her party would prefer a coalition involving either the ANC or ActionSA, arguing that smaller coalition arrangements would be easier to manage.

Tight deadline 

“When you put together a coalition, as big as necessary but as small as possible,” Zille said, highlighting the challenges of managing coalitions involving multiple parties.

However, the ANC has pushed back against claims that Ramaphosa had expressed a preference on Johannesburg’s coalition arrangements.

ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu told TimesLIVE: “It is only the NEC body that will make a pronouncement.”

The coalition negotiations are taking place against a tight deadline, with councils required to hold their first meetings within 14 days of the election results being declared.

Jacaranda FM reported that the Joburg Crisis Alliance has urged political parties to prioritise residents and service delivery during negotiations, warning against a return to the instability that characterised previous municipal administrations.

The outcome of the ANC’s internal deliberations could therefore have significant implications for Johannesburg’s next administration and the party’s future relationship with the DA in the government of national unity.