Division In ANC Over Partnering With DA For Coalition Decision

After suffering crushing defeats in the 2026 local elections, the African National Congress is getting ready to talk, but internal strife has arisen about whether to form coalitions with the Democratic Alliance.

Since some councils were left without a single-party majority by the election results, the matter has taken on a sense of urgency. Of South Africa’s 213 municipalities, 53 were won by the ANC, while 12 were won by the DA. Together, the two groups have enough seats to form a government in an additional 93 hung councils; but, they will need consensus on party leadership and policy objectives in order to do so.

Their national alliance in the Government of National Unity has been strained once again due to the prospect of local accords. Considering the party’s and the organization’s fundamental policy disagreements and continuous debates, some ANC members have questioned whether it should expand such model to municipalities.

Coalition deals with what the ANC Youth League sees as right-wing parties are strongly opposed. Its president, Collen Malatji, said that the ANC’s political interests needed to be protected and that ideological clarity was necessary in light of the shifting coalition situation. As party leaders explore potential coalitions, the league’s position increases the pressure on them.

Meanwhile, the numbers in a lot of hung municipalities could make working with the DA a realistic choice for the ANC. An examination of the election results revealed that the parties could form a majority in 93 municipalities if they worked together. That doesn’t imply they’ll band together; talks are still needed to determine who would serve as mayor, what duties the executive branch will carry out, and what policies each government will implement.

Other potential allies are also being considered by the ANC. The ANC is no longer the most popular party in Gauteng’s main cities, where the DA has taken the lead. A decision on negotiating with minor parties, seeking deals with the DA, or going into opposition in particular municipalities must be made by the party.

A number of gatherings, including the National Executive Committee meeting on November 12th, are planned by the party’s national leadership to deliberate its strategy. It is unclear whether the ANC would follow a uniform approach throughout the country or make choices council by council as it has not released a specific local coalition plan.

As the discussion shows, the ANC has a delicate balancing act to do: appease members who are hostile to the DA while maintaining the party’s ideological character, and secure reasonable majorities in councils where it does not have enough seats to rule alone. The party’s choice, which might influence local governments and put its national relationship with the DA to the test, comes as coalition discussions are underway.

https://x.com/News24/status/2120449120221512002

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