Johannesburg – Coalition negotiations are set to intensify in Johannesburg after the 2026 local government elections left the city without a clear majority, with ActionSA pushing the DA to reconsider Helen Zille as its mayoral candidate while the African ANC weighs whether to govern through a coalition or take the opposition benches.
According to News24, ActionSA is seeking to prevent Zille from becoming mayor and could instead push for its leader, Herman Mashaba, to take the position.
The party has raised concerns about Zille’s approach to coalition politics. ActionSA chair Michael Beaumont said the party had “major misgivings and concerns” about any arrangement involving Zille, citing what he described as her “well-established track record in destroying any stable and effective coalition in Joburg”.
The DA, however, has emerged as the strongest party in Johannesburg, with Zille securing almost 35% of the vote, compared with just over 20% for the ANC and about 16% for ActionSA.
Two-party coalition
Zille has indicated that she would prefer a two-party coalition with either ActionSA or the ANC, arguing that smaller, multi-party coalitions can be difficult to manage.
“I have been looking at the numbers. Before the final results are in, we could do a coalition with two parties in a two-party coalition with ActionSA or ANC,” she told TimesLIVE.
The coalition dispute comes as the ANC considers a significant change in strategy following its poor electoral performance. Daily Maverick reports that the party is considering either a grand coalition with the DA or ActionSA, or allowing the leading party to govern while the ANC remains in opposition and supports budgets through a confidence-and-supply arrangement.
“There is no other option for us. Either it’s a grand coalition between two big parties, or you say the big party governs and then we support the budgets,” a senior ANC leader said, according to TimesLIVE.
Poor service delivery
The ANC has also indicated that it may not insist on securing mayoral positions in coalition governments, reflecting concern that it would continue to take political responsibility for poor service delivery even when governing alongside other parties.
The stakes are particularly high in Gauteng, where the DA has overtaken the ANC as the leading party in Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni. Daily Maverick reported that the ANC is now being forced to choose between coalition negotiations, opposition or alternative agreements with smaller parties.
ActionSA has emerged as a key kingmaker in the province and has said it is prepared to negotiate with parties across the political spectrum, but only where potential partners commit to service delivery, fighting corruption and political stability.
With councils required to convene within 14 days of the declaration of results, parties now face a tight deadline to broker agreements that will determine who governs Johannesburg and other hung municipalities.
Follow African Insider on Facebook, X and Instagram
Picture: Screengrab
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Betha Madhomu
