Political differences and competing leadership ambitions could complicate efforts to form administrations in Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and other hung councils
South Africa’s Democratic Alliance (DA) and ActionSA could be compelled to put their political differences aside as coalition negotiations take shape in Gauteng’s major metropolitan municipalities following the 2026 local government elections.
With no single party securing an outright majority in several councils, including the City of Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni, the two parties could emerge as influential players in determining the composition of the next municipal administrations.
Political analyst Vusi Gumbi said negotiations were likely to be complicated, with potential agreements shaped by the distribution of seats, the parties involved and the conditions attached to coalition arrangements.
He said political parties would need to demonstrate flexibility while protecting their core principles, as they seek partnerships capable of securing stable administrations.
Although the DA appears to have secured a larger share of support than some of the other major parties in the affected metropolitan areas, its electoral performance alone does not guarantee control of the councils. ActionSA’s representation could therefore give it considerable leverage in negotiations.
However, reaching an agreement may prove challenging given the political differences between the two parties and their competing expectations over leadership positions and influence within municipal administrations.
Gumbi warned against treating pre-election coalition pledges as definitive indicators of how negotiations would unfold, noting that political parties had previously entered into partnerships with groups they had ruled out working with during election campaigns.
He said the dynamics of coalition negotiations could change as parties assess their options and seek arrangements that reflect the political arithmetic in individual municipalities.
An agreement that proves viable in Johannesburg, for instance, may not be suitable for Ekurhuleni or Tshwane, where the balance of power and the interests of the parties involved could differ.
The negotiations are expected to test the ability of political leaders to reconcile electoral ambitions with the practical requirements of municipal governance.
For the DA and ActionSA, the challenge will be to identify areas of common ground without allowing disagreements over political influence, executive positions and policy priorities to prevent the formation of functioning local administrations.
The outcome of the talks could have significant implications for governance in Gauteng, South Africa’s economic hub, where major metropolitan municipalities face mounting demands for reliable public services, infrastructure investment and effective administration.
