SALGA Gauteng wants coalition legislation finalised ahead of 2026 local govt elections

JOHANNESBURG - The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) in Gauteng wants coalition legislation finalised ahead of the 2026 elections. 

SALGA was in Johannesburg for a media briefing on the audit outcomes of Gauteng’s 11 municipalities for the 2023/2024 financial year.

While none of the municipalities regressed in their audit opinions, only two were able to receive a clean audit. 

Out of the 11 Gauteng municipalities, only the Democratic Alliance (DA)--controlled Midvaal municipality is governed by a single party.

The rest are all governed through multiparty coalitions. 

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Since the 2021 local government elections, municipalities governed through coalitions have gone through multiple changes of administration. 

"Coalitions in their nature, if not properly managed, have an element of bringing instability and de-focus where it matters most and we can partly attribute some of the lapses on the audit outcomes due to the fact that there has not been a greater focus from the coalition management point of view on good governance practice, heightened scrutiny and accountability and oversight." said SALGA Gauteng chairperson, Jongizizwe Dlabathi.

Dlabathi said SALGA is participating in a government initiative aimed at drawing legislation to govern how coalitions can work effectively.