Some members of the African National Congress plan to argue for ending the party’s national coalition with the Democratic Alliance, Moneyweb reported. The push follows the ANC’s worst election result so far.
The ANC won just under 31% support in the municipal elections on 4 November. It did not win outright control of any of the eight biggest cities.
The DA grew its support to almost 25%. It kept its majority in Cape Town and won the most votes in several other metros.
According to people familiar with the matter, some members of the ANC’s national executive committee will raise the issue at a meeting on Thursday. They plan to argue that working with the DA since 2024 cost the ANC votes.
An earlier attempt inside the ANC to drop the DA failed. The same people said it was unclear how much support the idea would get this time.
The report said a change to the government of national unity could worry investors. The DA is seen as a force behind more business friendly policies in the coalition.
Some officials want ActionSA to replace the DA in the 10-party national government, the people said. ActionSA, led by former Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba, has six members of Parliament.
If all other partners stayed, ActionSA would give a new coalition 206 seats in the 400-member National Assembly. It is not clear whether ActionSA would agree to a national deal.
ActionSA representatives met ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula and other ANC officials on Sunday. They discussed the party’s conditions for joining coalitions.
“We are deeply concerned that any government led by Helen Zille, not the DA, Helen Zille, would have the same levels of instability and present racially skewed patterns of service delivery,” said ActionSA national chair Michael Beaumont.
Several parties are looking at deals that would leave out the DA. This could make it harder for former DA leader Helen Zille to become mayor of Johannesburg.
The DA’s federal executive council said it would talk to all political parties about coalitions in hung municipalities. It said its aim was stable and effective governments that put citizens first.
The coalition question is also tied to the race to replace President Cyril Ramaphosa as ANC leader. He is due to step down at the party’s elective conference in December 2027.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile and Mbalula are among those in the running. Some party officials are also promoting billionaire businessman Patrice Motsepe as a possible candidate.
The Sunday Times reported that Ramaphosa raised the idea of stepping down early in talks with top officials. Ramaphosa told reporters there was no truth to rumours that he would leave his post early.
The ANC won about 40% of the national vote in 2024. That cost it its majority in Parliament for the first time since apartheid ended.
The ANC and DA have clashed over the 2025 budget and several laws. Last month, Mbalula called for a review of the DA’s role after it opposed an ANC court bid to reinstate excluded candidates.
ANC officials critical of the partnership said better market confidence has not yet led to more investment. According to the Reserve Bank, fixed investment fell to 13.9% of GDP in 2025.
The Thursday meeting will guide ANC coalition talks in hung councils, including Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane. Mbalula said the ANC will announce its position on coalitions on 13 November.
The new metro councils must meet within 14 days of being declared elected.
Source: this article is based on reporting by Moneyweb. Image: Moneyweb. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Business desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Anelisa Nkuna covers business and money news for Tzaneen Voice. Anelisa reports on the rand, fuel prices, interest rates, jobs, Eskom, Transnet, farming and company results. The aim is simple: explain what the numbers mean for household budgets, small businesses and workers in South Africa.