The Democratic Alliance (DA) has initiated coalition talks with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party following local government elections in the Western Cape and across South Africa.
The party is now partnering with both organizations, reversing its long policy of refusal after the DA previously called the group a “doomsday coalition.”
The EFF and MK Party confirmed on Wednesday that they received a letter from the DA inviting them to discuss potential municipal power-sharing arrangements. “Yes, we did receive the letter from the DA and the leadership met with them yesterday,” said EFF elections spokesperson Sixolise Gcilishe. MK Party leader Dali Mpofu also confirmed that the party decided to accept the invitation for talks.
DA federal council chairperson Ashor Sarupen declined to confirm specific negotiations but stated the party is speaking to all groups interested in the rule of law and service delivery. A DA insider told the Sunday Times that the party’s federal executive is now open to broader discussions, noting that party leadership is “more open to conversations with everyone” than in previous cycles.
Did You Know? The DA previously entered the government of national unity specifically to prevent the EFF and MK Party from holding national power, a strategy that contrasts with these current municipal-level outreach efforts.
DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis said that the party has successfully broadened its support base, finding voters among both unemployed township residents and suburban residents across the country. He characterized the election results as a response to widespread frustration with failing infrastructure in major cities, where residents have faced issues with broken water, electricity, and billing systems. It doesn’t work,” Geordin Hill-Lewis said during a BizNews Edge interview.
While national voter turnout was reported at 52%, an increase from the 2021 polls, analysts note that municipal governance remains under pressure to move from chaos to consistent service delivery.
The Daily Maverick reported that voters punished those responsible for service collapses, signaling a clear demand for competency over party loyalty in local councils. “Where there were collapses in even the most basic of services, voters punished those responsible,” according to a Daily Maverick report.
During a debate in October, Geordin Hill-Lewis accused the EFF and Julius Malema of fuelling instability in coalition governments.
News24, which surveyed 5,001 registered voters to gauge public sentiment on coalition preferences, said that the current electoral landscape follows a period where the DA saw improved results in the Western Cape while the ANC faced significant losses. “Now is not the time for personality politics. Now is the time for serious people,” according to a Daily Maverick report.
The DA has reached out to both the EFF and the MK Party, as well as other political entities, to discuss potential coalition arrangements in municipal councils.
The MK Party confirmed it has accepted the invitation to meet with the DA. Dali Mpofu said that the party has no preconditions or non-negotiables for these talks.
The DA is seeking to form stable local governments that prioritize non-racialism, the rule of law, and the restoration of service delivery in municipalities, according to comments provided by Ashor Sarupen to the Sunday Times.
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