South Africa: Political Parties Have 14 Days to Form New Municipal Councils

What the report says

South Africa’s Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has given political parties 14 days to establish new municipal councils after elections produced no outright winner in about 138 municipalities, or roughly 65% of local councils. The report, distributed by AllAfrica from Scrolla and published from Johannesburg, says this has left many municipalities dependent on coalitions, minority arrangements or other power-sharing agreements.

The minister, Velenkosini Hlabisa, has urged parties to avoid delaying the formation of councils through internal disputes or negotiations over key posts. According to the article, he said the priority must be to keep local government functioning and to prevent political conflict from disrupting essential services such as water, electricity, rubbish collection and road maintenance.

The department says new guidelines were discussed at a government meeting on 9 November 2026 and presented for approval on Wednesday. Spokesperson Pearl Maseko-Binqose said the guidance is intended to help parties manage coalition disputes, preserve political stability and protect municipal administration and service delivery.

The article frames the next two weeks as a test of whether parties can move from election rivalry to cooperation. In practical terms, the outcome matters because municipalities are responsible for everyday services residents rely on, and prolonged deadlock could slow decision-making at a time when councils are still being formed.