How to stop the coalitions’ political circus

IPERHAPS IT S TIME TO SEEK A FRESH MANDATE FROM RESIDENTS TO GOVERN

n 2016, voters in three metropolitan cities — including Johannesburg — ejected the ANC from running their affairs as the quality of their public services and infrastructure continued to deteriorate rapidly.

By November 2021, through opportunistic elite pacts with minority parties, the ANC was back in the mayoral seat and running Johannesburg’s affairs. Three successive mayors — the late Geoff Makhubo, Jolidee Matongo and Mpho Moerane — were back wearing mayoral chains, not because Johannesburg’s residents wanted them to, but because of an agreement the ANC struck with minority parties.

That year, the same scenario was repeated — the ANC failed to secure an outright electoral majority to form governments in the cities of Tshwane (Pretoria), Ekurhuleni (East Rand) and Johannesburg. Instead of being an effective opposition to the DA-led governments of these cities, it has spent the past 11 months plotting ways to oust the mayors of these important councils. In the process, it destabilised them and further slowed service delivery in these metros.

This playbook succeeded, albeit briefly, in toppling Mpho Phalatse, the DA mayor of Johannesburg, from office. Dada Morero, the ANC’s Johannesburg regional leader, was installed as the executive mayor of the city for a month until the courts dismissed Phalatse’s ousting as being unlawful.

The plotting hasn’t stopped.

A month ago, Tania Campbell, the DA executive mayor for Ekurhuleni, was forced out after a motion of no confidence that saw the ANC — a majority party — gang up against her with smaller parties. On Wednesday, after protracted talks and tradeoffs between the ANC and Julius Malema’s EFF, Campbell was re-elected executive mayor.

A similar plot is being hatched for the removal of Randall Williams, the DA’mayor of Tshwane.

There is no doubt that in a maturing multiparty democracy coalitions have a legitimate role to play. They are an extra layer of a competitive democratic space and a further accountability mechanism for those entrusted with power.

But this is not what is in play here. It is fast degenerating into a political circus with citizens of these cities being marginalised from decision-making. If this were not the coalface of service delivery, it would be laughable and entertaining. This is an important sphere of government. Citizens are the ultimate losers, and they are getting to a point where they have to question the wisdom of these electoral arrangements that disempower them.

There are also signs that the system is being abused. To be fair to the ANC, it would be wrong to suggest that other parties have noble intentions. It is, however, fair to observe that after decades of running the metros — except for Cape Town — voters are gatvol with ANC misrule, and have been saying this through their votes over the years.

SA is a relatively young democracy. It has a right to perfect it as it continues to learn. What is happening in the metros is part of the learning curve. So was the provision for floor-crossing — the system that allowed MPs to defect to other parties without losing their seats.

What is becoming clearer by the day is that politicians are looking after their stomachs and interests.

So, what should be done? Two things can — and should — be explored as a matter of urgency.

First, the system needs to be regulated to put the interests of citizens at the centre of governance. The threshold for the motions of no confidence is far too low. A bigger majority needs to be considered for the removal of a mayor and speaker, at least. Also, it is not clear whether the elite pacts are free from bribery and corruption. The allegations of vote-buying in Johannesburg, which is now a subject of litigation, are a concern.

Second, fresh elections should be considered in instances where coalition instability becomes the order of the day. Johannesburg is a case in point.

It is no longer evident whether voters and residents of Johannesburg — not its councillors — still have confidence in their council. Perhaps it is time to seek a fresh mandate from residents to govern the city. This is a costly proposition. But it is better than sacrificing the wellbeing of the residents of these cities.