Cilliers Brink Drops Truth About Why DA Refuses To Deal With Malema’s EFF

Democratic Alliance leader Cilliers Brink has drawn a sharp distinction between negotiating with the African National Congress and working with the Economic Freedom Fighters, arguing that the ANC can be pressured to change while the EFF is less likely to compromise on its ideological positions.

Brink’s remarks come as South African parties weigh coalition options after the November 4 local government elections left several major municipalities without a single-party majority. The ANC received just under 31% nationally, its weakest result to date, while the DA increased its support to almost 25%. The results have intensified debate over which parties should work together in councils and at national level.

The DA is engaging parties on coalition arrangements in hung municipalities, with its federal executive council saying discussions should aim to produce stable and effective administrations. In Johannesburg, ActionSA president Herman Mashaba has indicated that his party is willing to support a DA-led administration, provided Helen Zille does not become mayor. That proposal illustrates how negotiations may hinge not only on party policy but also on the individuals selected for leadership roles.

Brink’s comments reflect the DA’s wider approach to coalition bargaining: that a party may be able to influence the ANC through negotiations, but that the EFF’s ideological commitments make such change harder to achieve. The distinction is politically significant as parties consider possible partners in councils where no bloc has an automatic majority.

The ANC, meanwhile, is reviewing its coalition options after its poor showing. Some party members have argued that its national coalition with the DA contributed to its losses and should be reconsidered. The ANC is expected to set out its position on coalition negotiations after a meeting of its National Executive Committee, with party leaders saying that different councils may require different arrangements.

The EFF and MK Party have indicated a willingness to work with the ANC, while the DA remains a partner in the national government of national unity. These overlapping possibilities make coalition decisions complex: local deals may not necessarily reflect the arrangements governing the country nationally.

Brink’s remarks also underline a central challenge for coalition partners: securing enough votes to govern while maintaining their own policy identities. Parties must negotiate council leadership and service-delivery priorities, but they also face pressure from supporters who may object to compromise with political opponents.

No single coalition formula has emerged across the country. As negotiations continue, Brink’s view signals that the DA regards some potential partners as more open to influence than others—a position likely to shape its choices in councils where it needs support to form an administration.

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