Cape Town - The government is developing a framework, including amendments to the Municipal Structures Act, in an effort to address challenges posed by coalition governments in hung municipalities.
This was revealed by Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Thembi Nkadimeng when she responded to parliamentary questions from NFP MP Munzoor Shaik-Emam.
Shaik-Emam said local government appeared to be in a state of collapse as a result of dysfunctional municipalities.
“Municipal coalitions are collapsing and political parties prioritise their own interest and are at loggerheads with each other, thereby impacting negatively on budget and the delivery of services,” he said.
Shaik-Emam enquired what Cogta intended doing to address the collapse of coalition municipalities and the measures her department had put in place in this regard.
Following the 2021 local government elections, a total of 70 councils did not have an outright winner, which led to some parties entering into coalitions in order to govern in the hung councils.
Some of the coalitions disintegrated when parties called it quits and entered into new agreement with other parties, resulting in instability in several councils, especially some of the metros, as motions of no confidence were passed against mayors and speakers.
The change in leadership extended to the changes in other office-bearers such as deputy mayors, chief whips, mayoral committee members and standing committee chairpersons, with the delivery of services taking a severe knock in some instances.
In her written response, Nkadimeng said the department had discussed the challenges identified by Shaik-Emam with stakeholders, including the South African Local Government Association and provincial departments responsible for local government.
“A framework, including amendments to the Local Government: Municipal Structures Act No 117 of 1998, is presently being developed to address the challenges,” she said.
Nkadimeng also said her department was finalising the Code of Conduct for Councillors’ Regulations, which aims to address issues around walk-outs during council meetings.
“While the matter around walk-outs is not unique to councils in coalition arrangements, this intervention will assist in ensuring meetings proceed and council operations are not stalled.
Coupled with that intervention, the department will continue to support municipalities in terms of section 154 of the Constitution,” she said.
The measures being taken by Cogta come as the DA last month published notices in the Government Gazette indicating its intention to introduce bills aimed at stabilising coalition governments.
DA chief whip Siviwe Gwarube said recently that the planned introduction of the bills was sparked by the instability witnessed in various metros.
The DA has already published a notice for the introduction of the Nineteenth Constitutional Amendment Bill.
Gwarube said the two bills sought to achieve stability in all spheres of government by prescribing the number and the circumstances under which motions of no confidence could be moved in a speaker, mayor, premier or the president.
She said that limiting the frequency and placing clear grounds under which motions could be moved and voted on would see a level of stability that was needed for effective service delivery.
“The draft bill, therefore, intends to limit the number of motions of no confidence to be brought against a president or premier to only one motion per every 12 months from the date of the last motion.
“However, as a safety net, the draft bill will propose that additional motions of no confidence may be brought in exceptional circumstances, such as a violation of the Constitution or law; misconduct or the inability to perform the functions of office.”
Cape Times