DA Proposes New Legislation to Stabilise Coalition Ahead of 2024 National Elections

• The Democratic Alliance has a plan to stabilise coalitions ahead of the 2024 national elections
• The main opposition party is proposing that legislation be introduced to manage how coalitions are governed
• DA leader, John Steenhuisen, said the party is preparing the nation for the very real possibility of coalitions in the future

JOHANNESBURG - The Democratic Alliance (DA) is proposing the introduction of legislation as a means to stabilise coalitions.

The main opposition party aims to sensitise Parliament to the possibility of a coalition at the national level. This forms part of the DA legislative agenda in the run-up to the 2024 national elections.

DA leader John Steenhuisen is confident that the era of single-party dominance is ending, and the country needs to be prepared for coalition politics, News24 reported.

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Steenhuisen said that the electoral framework of the nation needed to catch up with the state of SA's democracy and the nation's reality.

The DA's proposal of these legislative changes comes on the heels of the party's controversial booting out of the City of Johannesburg. Mpho Phalatse was ousted as Mayor after the speaker of the council, Colleen Makhubele, called a special council sitting, TimeLIVE reported.

The move saw the city handed back to the African national congress. Steenhuisen said that the nation could not afford to replace ANC's failing government with unstable and cumbersome coalitions, which is exactly what happened in Johannesburg.

The DA leader added that Parliament must enact the appropriate legislative measures to guarantee that coalitions are stable and capable of delivering if they are to play a significant role in South Africa's future.

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The DA's five-point plan includes the following:

• establishing a voting threshold for all levels of government;
• codifying coalition agreements;
• launching an independent Registrar of Political Parties to strengthen public accountability in coalition governments;
• increasing the time for mayors to be elected;

and

• reducing the number of motions against confidence.

South Africa reacts to the DA's plan for coalitions

Mzanzi thinks the DA is pushing the coalition agenda a little too hard.

Here are some comments:

@sbusiso99999 asked:

"Lol, how do you regulate the will of the people?"

@Hloho_Ya_Lelapa added:

"Who is going to sign it, DA should just win elections and stop daydreaming."

@AlanNaidoo3 claimed:

Not going to happen , the ruling party will not agree to it."

@phoyana2311 scoffed:

"Stabilise coalitions! That sounds funny. So baas Steynhuisen wants to be a president through a coalition, but the PA and EFF never play "fair"."

@TaureanGoddess_ commented:

"Really pushing this coalition thing, hey"

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Phumzile Van Damme slams the Democratic Alliance for always whining about coalition partners more than the ANC

In a related story, Briefly News reported that former Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Phumzile Van Damme has slammed her former political party for always whining. Van Damme's assessment of the DA comes after the party blamed coalition partners for the collapse of the multi-party coalition in the City of Johannesburg.

DA MP Leon Schreiber accused ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba of manipulating the situation after Vasco Da Gama was ousted as the City of Joburg speaker. Schreiber claimed that Mashaba tried to use that situation to reallocate positions that violated the trust of the coalition.

Source: Briefly News