DA Sets Out Plan to Strengthen Coalition Governance and Stem Service Delivery Failures

The Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa's official opposition party, has insisted on a legislative overhaul to secure the stability of coalition governments in the country’s metros. Citing a lack of a stringent legislative framework, the party emphasized the resulting governance and service delivery debacles, particularly in areas controlled by African National Congress (ANC) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) coalitions.

Siviwe Gwarube, the DA's chief whip, voiced concerns over the prevailing unstable coalitions, welded together by informal arrangements rather than robust governance standards. According to Gwarube, the crises in systemic service delivery, persistent water shortages, and faltering infrastructure maintenance have spiraled under the stewardship of the ANC-EFF, dubbing them 'coalitions of corruption'.

To counter this downward spiral, the DA has crafted a trilogy of coalition legislative proposals, of which two bills have already been introduced. The party is driving the notion of extending the Electoral Commission of South Africa's (IEC) deadline for coalition formation from 14 to 30 days. This extension is intended to grant sufficient negotiation time for potential coalition partners, fostering a more successful and stable governance platform.

Furthermore, the party is proposing the establishment of an electoral threshold for council seats, thereby ensuring only parties with significant public support participate in the coalition process. While open to negotiation on what the exact threshold should be, the party underlines the necessity for this measure to fend off political instability birthed from smaller parties having a disproportionate influence over major metros.

In addition to these measures, the DA suggests limiting the number of no-confidence motions that can be filed against mayors or speakers to once per annum, exceptions notwithstanding. This motion aims to curb political volatility, which according to the DA, lies at the heart of the service delivery crisis.

Gwarube reveals that the remaining bills of the legislative trilogy will soon be introduced, urging all parties to back this reform when it comes to a parliamentary vote. He stresses the urgency of enacting these laws before the May elections to ready the country for any potential provincial and national coalition governments.

Such legislative amendments are central to the DA's strategy for combating the looming governance crisis that threatens to exacerbate the deterioration of metropolitan areas.