DA proposes coalition rules
Two private members bills proposed by the DA aim to stabilise coalition governments by, among other things, prescribing the conditions in which motions of no confidence can be moved.
Instability has racked key metropolitan and local governments, with motions of no confidence frequently used to oust incumbent mayors and speakers. Another source of instability is when coalition partners switch sides, allowing a new coalition to take power. Often it is the offer of lucrative posts that can swing the political balance.
Motions of no confidence have, for example, been used to oust the mayors of Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni, but the instability of coalition governments has been witnessed throughout the country and has affected service delivery.
DA chief whip Siviwe Gwarube said the proposed legislation is also crucial in light of possible national or provincial coalition governments after the 2024 general election which is likely to see the ruling ANC slip below 50%.
“Limiting the frequency and placing clear grounds under which these [motions of no confidence] can be moved and voted on will see a level of stability that is needed for effective service delivery.
“Currently, coalition governments may be voted in, and pass a budget that they may never get to deliver against. It is impossible to hold these governments to account for good governance practices and service delivery if they change frequently and often do back-room deals that have nothing to do with the people,” Gwarube said.
GOVERNMENT GAZETTE
The notice of intention to introduce the two private member bills has been published in the government gazette — the Constitution 19th Amendment Bill and the Local Government: Municipal Structures Amendment Bill.
Explaining the Constitutional 19th Amendment Bill, Gwarube said motions of no confidence are being used as a political tool “rather than for the mechanism it was originally intended, being a process to remove a speaker or mayor from office due to them not fulfilling their duties adequately”.
The bills will limit the frequency and stipulate the grounds under which motions of no confidence can be moved and voted on.
The number of motions against a president, premier, mayors, deputy mayors, speakers and whips will be limited to only one motion every 12 months from the date of the last motion except in exceptional circumstances where there has been a violation of the constitution or the law, misconduct or the inability to perform the functions of the state.
Gwarube said further bills will be introduced to set electoral thresholds in local government to stop the over-fragmentation of political parties which gives rise to coalition governments made up of several parties.
COALITION GOVERNMENTS MAY BE VOTED IN, AND PASS A BUDGET THAT THEY MAY NEVER GET TO DELIVER AGAINST
Siviwe Gwarube DA chief whip
“This has proven to be an impossible task to manage and has often given rise to one-seat kingmakers opting in and out of agreements due to cheque-book politics. Successful coalition governments across the world have some threshold in place for this desired stability,” she said.
The forthcoming bills will also extend the time in which a mayor, speaker or whip must be elected after a local government election and align it with the 30day period allowed at national government level to elect a president.
Gwarube said more legislative amendments are in the pipeline proposing a national electoral threshold and binding coalition agreements once the Electoral Amendment Bill has been constitutionally challenged and signed into law.