Tshwane and Joburg mayors still unknown as coalition talks begin

Neither Tshwane nor Johannesburg has a new mayor yet. According to The Citizen, parties are in the early stages of coalition talks following last week’s local government elections.

Moya says goodbye, but the seat is not yet empty

On Sunday, Tshwane mayor Nasiphi Moya thanked residents as her term came to an end. She said they had been patient while her administration began turning the city around, and that a solid base had been laid for rebuilding the capital. She added that ActionSA’s caucus in Tshwane was ready to go into communities to push for better services.

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba said he was very proud of Moya. He gave no detail on the coalition discussions, saying only that negotiations were at an early stage.

DA mayoral candidate Cilliers Brink pointed out that the sitting mayor stays in office until a successor is elected. He said the DA is now the largest party in Tshwane, but it had hoped for an outright win that would end the instability of coalition politics. That did not happen.

Brink said the party would accept the voters’ decision and enter talks with humility and openness, while sticking to its principles. He said DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis had approached all parties to begin negotiations. The DA, he said, would not enter partnerships that it believed could not deliver the improvements that municipalities need.

What the law says about timing

Brink explained that the first council meeting, where the mayor and speaker are chosen, must take place 14 days after the election results are certified. He said this window gives parties time to negotiate and finalise their agreements.

What analysts are saying

Political analyst Piet Croucamp said he could not see ActionSA giving up Tshwane. In his view, Moya had done enough to persuade many residents that she was a worthy candidate and had not performed badly as mayor.

Croucamp expected hard bargaining. He said the DA seemed ready to fight for Helen Zille in Johannesburg, even if that meant working with the ANC. He doubted that ActionSA could reach a deal with the DA on Johannesburg, which in his view would leave Tshwane as the party’s main focus. He also felt Brink might end up as a casualty of the horse trading.

Another analyst, Rene Oosthuizen, said it was deeply disturbing to see so much energy going into fights over positions while residents wait for basic services. She warned that ordinary people will bear the cost if politicians do not put the public first.

What this means for residents

• The mayors of both cities will only be known once coalition deals are reached and councils meet.
• That council meeting must happen 14 days after the results are certified.
• Until a new mayor is elected, the current mayor remains in office, according to Brink.

Until then, service delivery in both cities will remain the main concern for residents.

This story is based on reporting by The Citizen.