ANC Coalition Talks With Other Parties Finalised: 'Hung Municipalities Will Form Councils'

• The ANC announced that coalition discussions have been finalised between itself and parties with which it plans to work
• A number of municipalities were hung across the country after the local government elections
• The deadline for the formation of councils is next week Tuesday as there are still hung municipalities
• The IFP, which previously rejected a coalition with the ANC, said it will cooperate with the governing party in KZN

JOHANNESBURG - Coalition engagements between the African National Congress (ANC) and the political parties it plans to ally reached finality on Thursday.

The ANC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) will convene at the weekend where it is expected to release a complete list of the parties with which it will lead.

Against the backdrop of the highly-contested ballots across the country, the future of many hung municipalities relied on the outcome of the discussions between parties.

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In an earlier statement, the ruling party confirmed, following talks with the parties it plans to enter into a working partnership with, that a majority of hung municipalities can now move forward with forming councils.

However, it was not presently clear how many municipalities remain hung with the deadline of Tuesday next week for the finalisation of the formation of councils edging closer.

SABC News reported that the ANC is determined to root out corruption and unite the country by ramping up service delivery through the coalition governments.

IFP makes about-turn on decision

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), which previously rejected the ANC as a partner in hung municipalities, said it will cooperate with the governing party in KwaZulu-Natal, News24 reported.

IFP president, Velenkosini Hlabisa, said amid a media briefing in Durban that his organisation will cooperate with the ruling party to ensure governments are in place in the hung municipalities.

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But Hlabisa was quick to point out that the IFP will remain the official opposition where the ANC has a majority. The province currently has 21 hung municipalities.

Hlabisa said the IFP's decision to work with the ANC is so that the parties can support each other where they have the majority in councils.

IEC reveals Ramaphosa's R366k ANC donation, while Motsepe contributed over R5m

Earlier, Briefly News reported that the Second Quarter Disclosure Report revealed that President Cyril Ramaphosa made two donations amounting to R366 000 to the ANC in the lead-up to the municipal elections.

The report, released by the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) on Thursday, took into account donations received by political parties in the period from July to September 2021.

Ramaphosa's donations of R200 000 and R166 000 on August 30 merely scratched the surface compared to his mining magnate brother-in-law Patrice Motsepe, who reportedly contributed over R5 million to the ANC's cause, News24 reported.

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African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) Limited, Motsepe's mining company, made a total donation of R5 853 969.

Source: Briefly News