Coalition govt: Dissent among parties may lead to stagnation

The hottest topic of this year’s elections is the formation of coalition governments.

Political pundits predict that no political party will win an outright 51% majority.

People are entitled to daydream. They can, as they often do, be selective in their analysis of research findings.

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Parties with a slim majority still need the support of others to form a government. Frenetic horse trading is already in full swing, overtly or clandestinely.

The chaotic charade in cities such as Johannesburg, Tshwane, Nelson Mandela Bay and other municipalities does not augur well for this system of governance.

Coalitions’ failure in municipalities may be a precursor to what is likely to happen post 2024 elections in the higher spheres of government.

That won’t augur well for future stability of service delivery and economic growth.

While I am not opposed to coalition governance per se, our much-needed social transformation project can only be retarded if we follow that route. Inter-party governance has worked well in all established democracies such as Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, and others.

There are some success stories also in some African and Asian countries as well. They have succeeded because they have a long tradition of democracy and have developed strong governance institutions.

Change of government does not threaten the stable provision of essential services, like water, power, sanitation, education, justice, national security, road infrastructure, health and recreation etc.

These countries have regulated the system. Their public representatives don’t go into politics because they are jobless or starving.

They join politics for the sole purpose of promoting a particular agenda, like the environment. Their coalition arrangement usually attracts the best brains – people with a lot of experience in various disciplines.

When the ANC was defeated by the Democratic Alliance in the key metros of Tshwane, Joburg, Ekurhuleni and Mandela Bay in 2016, coalition governments were formed. Unfortunately, that had unintended consequences.

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Service delivery and good governance almost collapsed. Council meetings degenerated into spectacular charades.

Sometimes the passing of budgets took ages – to the detriment of development and service delivery.

While politicians tested each other’s strengths, millions of ordinary people were deprived of their right to quality service delivery and stable administration. Such a situation demands an unequivocal call for social justice.

When council or legislatures are in disarray, public representatives are not in a way disadvantaged. They continue to enjoy their lives of privilege and comfort, while the masses struggle with lack of service delivery.

If the failure of coalition government in municipalities is anything to go by, our National Development Programme runs the risk of being derailed or delayed unless South Africa has a government that has enough muscle to implement critical national imperatives without being bogged down by having to drag along reluctant political parties.

Some members of the coalition may be harbouring personal ambitions to assume leadership. However, now that coalitions have become a necessary evil, the government must create an enabling tool to guarantee uninterrupted provision of essential basic services.

We can learn from Kenya, where parliament introduced a legal framework that regulates policies, objectives and modus operandi that are binding on all parties in the coalition.

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According to Institute of Election Management Services in Africa head Terry Tselane, South Africa has reached a point where there is a need for institutionalisation or regulation of coalitions.

“We must consider the establishment of an office of the registrar of political parties. “In terms of the system, the parties that enter into coalition must develop an arrangement which is signed and deposited with the registrar,” Tselane said.

Unlike in countries that enjoy social, cultural and political homogeneity, South Africa is still plagued by historical, cultural and social dislocation.

I dare say, if some of our progressive parties mobilised voters the way the United Democratic Front (UDF) engaged the masses during the struggle against apartheid, they would easily win in the national elections.

Unfortunately, greed and unaccountable power-grabs have somewhat confused people. Campaigning for power is an expensive exercise.

Campaigning for public office should be like an open festival where people choose the leaders they trust and know and who have a vision and integrity.

Governance by coalition is a foreign concept not based on the African philosophy of ubuntu. But that is a debate for another day.

• Mkhatshwa is a veteran politician, former ANC MP, founder of the UDF, former Tshwane mayor and a chair of the Moral Regeneration Movement.