BREAKING NEWS: ANC Resolves To Make DA Its Last Option In Municipal Coalition Talks

The African National Congress (ANC) has reportedly decided that the Democratic Alliance (DA) should be treated as a last resort when negotiating coalition governments in municipalities where no political party managed to secure an outright majority. The decision follows the ANC’s poor performance in the 4 November 2026 Local Government Elections, which saw the party experience a significant decline in voter support.

The resolution was reportedly reached during an extended meeting of the ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC), where senior party leaders gathered to evaluate the election results and determine the party’s approach to coalition negotiations across the country.

The ANC’s national support dropped to 30.76%, a considerable decline from the 45.59% it secured during the 2021 Local Government Elections. The disappointing result has reportedly raised concerns within the party about its political direction, public image and relationship with potential coalition partners.

During the meeting, the NEC reportedly discussed a negotiating mandate for more than 120 hung municipalities across South Africa. These municipalities will require political parties to reach coalition agreements because no single party has obtained enough seats to govern independently.

According to reports, several NEC members raised concerns about the ANC’s participation in the Government of National Unity (GNU), which includes the DA. Some members reportedly argued that the arrangement had negatively affected the ANC’s electoral performance, with voters becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the party’s decision to govern alongside its long-standing political opponent.

There were also reportedly strong objections within the NEC to extending the existing national coalition arrangement to local government structures. Some party leaders are said to believe that automatically entering into agreements with the DA at municipal level could further damage the ANC’s political standing.

Instead, the ANC is expected to pursue a more flexible approach, allowing individual municipalities to negotiate coalition agreements based on their political circumstances and the available options. This means the party could work with different political organisations in different municipalities rather than adopting one uniform coalition arrangement across the country.

ActionSA and other potential coalition partners are reportedly expected to receive consideration before the DA is approached. The DA would only become an option where negotiations with other parties fail to produce a workable arrangement.

The reported decision indicates that the ANC is not willing to automatically extend its Government of National Unity partnership with the DA to municipal councils, despite the two parties currently sharing responsibilities in the national administration.

The development could also create further political uncertainty within the GNU, particularly as the country enters a crucial period of coalition negotiations following the local government elections.

With more than 120 municipalities requiring coalition arrangements, political parties now face the challenge of reaching agreements that will allow newly elected municipal councils to function effectively. The negotiations are expected to determine which parties will control municipalities, appoint mayors and establish governing administrations.

The outcome of these discussions will have significant implications for local government across South Africa, especially in municipalities where political power is divided among several parties.

For the ANC, the challenge will be finding coalition partners that can help it retain influence in municipal councils without further weakening its electoral support. Meanwhile, the DA and other political organisations will have to navigate an increasingly complicated political environment as negotiations continue.

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