Cyril Ramaphosa Gives Big Order To Cut Ties With DA In Johannesburg Government

President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged African National Congress leaders to consider forming a Johannesburg coalition without the Democratic Alliance, adding weight to calls within the party to limit cooperation with its Government of National Unity partner in Gauteng.

Ramaphosa reportedly raised the option at Monday’s meeting of the ANC’s National Working Committee. The proposal was welcomed by leaders who have expressed reservations about working with the DA in Gauteng’s metropolitan municipalities. The ANC’s National Executive Committee is expected to discuss coalition negotiations on Thursday.

The talks follow the 2026 local government elections, in which the ANC lost ground in major cities. In Johannesburg, the DA received 34.79% of the vote, the ANC 20.25% and ActionSA 16.27%, leaving the council without a single-party majority. The results give the DA potential routes to a majority with either the ANC or ActionSA.

Gauteng ANC leaders have reportedly favoured working with ActionSA across the province’s three metros, including exploring an agreement with the party in Johannesburg. The ANC’s provincial leaders are expected to make recommendations to the national leadership, which will decide the party’s negotiating position.

The ANC’s national spokesperson, Mahlengi Bhengu, has disputed reports that Ramaphosa expressed a preference for coalition arrangements in Johannesburg. She said the National Executive Committee would make the party’s formal decision. The reported comments from the National Working Committee have nevertheless strengthened those calling for the ANC to avoid the DA where other arrangements are possible.

The question is politically significant because the ANC and DA govern together nationally through the GNU, but their relationship remains contested within the ANC. Some party members oppose extending cooperation to local government, while others face the practical challenge of negotiating stable administrations in councils where no party has a majority.

An ANC circular sent by secretary-general Fikile Mbalula instructed provincial and regional structures to hold exploratory discussions with parties represented in their councils and report on possible coalition arrangements. The process asks local structures to assess council numbers and the viability of different combinations before national leaders make decisions.

In Johannesburg, a coalition excluding the DA would require support from several parties. ActionSA has been identified as a potential partner, but the composition and terms of any such agreement remain unsettled. No coalition deal has been announced.

The ANC’s choice will test whether local negotiations can be separated from its national partnership with the DA. A decision to pursue alternatives in Johannesburg could also influence coalition talks elsewhere, while a broader agreement would require the party to manage opposition from members who reject cooperation with the DA. The NEC meeting is expected to set the parameters for the negotiations.

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