MUNICIPAL COALITIONS: STABLE GOVERNMENT GUIDELINES PUBLISHED

MUNICIPAL COALITIONS: STABLE GOVERNMENT GUIDELINES PUBLISHED

• 11 November 2026
• Local & Provincial Government
• SA Legal Academy

Guidelines for stable coalitions in local government have been issued with the aim of assisting municipalities in ‘managing coalition governance, strengthening institutional stability and ensuring that political transitions do not disrupt service delivery to communities’. This is according to an accompanying Department of Co-operative Governance & Traditional Affairs media statement.

Apparently, ‘about 65% of councils’ now require ‘coalition arrangements, minority governments or other forms of co-operative governance’.

Among other things, the guidelines:

• underscore ‘the distinction between political governance and professional municipal administration’
• ‘encourage’ coalition partners to conclude written agreements that clearly outline:
  • their shared policy priorities
  • the allocation of political responsibilities
  • decision-making processes
  • standards of conduct, and
  • mechanisms for resolving disputes, and
• ‘encourage municipalities to strengthen their institutional preparedness for coalition instability through clear council rules of order, terms of reference and systems of delegation’.

‘Even during periods of political uncertainty’, while the necessary arrangements are finalised municipal administrations are required to ‘continue implementing approved policies, integrated development plans …, budgets and service delivery programmes’, the statement notes – also drawing attention to ‘statutory timeframes governing the constitution of municipal councils following … elections’.

• guidelines
• media statement

Published by SA Legal Academy Policy Watch

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