Johannesburg - DA leader John Steenhuisen has announced the party’s plans to introduce national legislation to stabilise coalitions after the 2024 national and provincial elections, through three private members’ bills.
Steenhuisen said: “Part of the DA’s legislative agenda in the run-up to the 2024 elections is to prepare Parliament for the likelihood that, for the first time in 70 years, the era of one-party domination is coming to an end.
“We need to prepare for coalition politics. South Africa’s electoral legislative framework needs to catch up with the state of our democracy and current South African reality.”
The legislation would not serve as a quick fix for the party’s problem with coalitions, but would rather be to address the country’s problem with coalitions.
“Any party wishing to be part of a coalition government after 2024 should welcome the stability promoted by these legislative changes,” said Steenhuisen.
“The ANC is in a downward spiral and is currently taking the country down with it. The situation is very bad and getting worse, with poverty, service delivery failures, crime, corruption, debt and unemployment running out of control.
“We cannot afford to replace failing ANC governments – whether at national, provincial or local level – with unstable, cumbersome coalitions,” Steenhuisen added.
The DA has drawn attention to what has happened in the Johannesburg, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni and Nelson Mandela Bay metros after the 2021 local government election.
They have highlighted the risks faced by the residents of those cities with regard to disrupted service delivery because of the state of the coalitions in the affected metros.
“If the current state of metro coalitions is replicated at national and provincial government level post-2024, it will lead to permanent instability, with South Africa possibly even becoming ungovernable.
“If coalitions are to be the future in South Africa, then Parliament needs to take the necessary legislative steps to ensure that they are stable and able to deliver. Many other countries have done just this, and are governed by successful, stable coalitions. If we fail to stabilise coalitions, the poorest communities will bear the brunt of their dysfunction, since they are most reliant on government services,” Steenhuisen said.
The five proposals developed by the DA are not set in stone, but are rather a starting point for consultation with other political parties and the broader society, to help find consensus on legislation to ensure stable, successful coalitions.
The DA made the following five suggestions:
1. Set an electoral threshold: This would require a political party to secure 1% or 2% of the overall vote to qualify for seats in a legislature or council.
2. Formalise coalition agreements: There must be a legal requirement that coalition agreements be drawn up and clearly set out the principles the parties to them must adhere to. Such agreements must include conflict resolution procedures to be followed if disputes arise.
3. Establish an independent registrar of political parties: To entrench public accountability in coalition governments, South Africa could benefit from the Kenyan model, which includes an independent registrar of political parties and a political parties’ disputes tribunal to address any disputes that may arise during the lifespan of the coalition agreement.
4. Extend the time period for electing mayors: The DA believes the time allowed for the president, as well as premiers and mayors, to be elected should possibly be extended from the current 14 days from the declaration of the election result. This is to give parties sufficient time to negotiate functional, binding coalition agreements.
5. Limit motions of no confidence: In consultation with other parties, the DA will investigate limiting the frequency with which motions of no confidence can be brought in a legislature.
These five legislative changes would be implemented through the introduction of three separate private members’ bills.
“In setting out these proposals, we hope to establish broad political and civil society support for the legislative changes required for stable coalition politics. We believe this matter is urgent and crucial for a successful, prosperous, united South Africa,” said Steenhuisen.
IOL