GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - A coalition government in the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality (DBNLM) is on the cards seeing that no political party achieved an outright victory after Monday's local government elections.
This has set up the three smaller parties - the FF+, the EFF and the Compatriots of South Africa - to secure the ultimate "kingmaker" status in DBNLM. Each of them has won a seat in the local municipality while the ANC (11) and the DA (10) snapped up most of the available seats.
It was an election shaped by a society frustrated by the lack of service delivery and the cancer of corruption prevalent at most of the 257 municipalities - only 27 had received a clean audit - which hampered the delivery of the most basic of services.
As for the governing ANC, its scorecard on service delivery continues to cut into its credibility.
But that certainly could not stop the green, black and yellow brigade from returning to their high-paying jobs. The majority of municipalities in South Africa will again be at the receiving end of the ruling party for the next five years.
Speaking to Graaff-Reinet Advertiser, DA member of parliament Samantha Graham-Maré, said a possible coalition with other parties in Graaff-Reinet will be discussed at national level.
"What the DA will be looking for is an arrangement that will benefit the people in the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality. What is best for the local community will guide our final decision.
"We will obviously negotiate in good faith and try and reach an agreement which will benefit all the parties involved in coalition negotiations."
Although the DA was optimistic that they could take control of the DBNLM, pundits have predicted a political rollercoaster ride with not any particular party getting an outright win. "We were deeply disappointed to lose by one seat, but we will have to take it on the chin."
What was interesting about this year's local election is that more people than ever were running as independent candidates. Beforehand, political commentators and analysts suggested that independents could surprise the major players and were well-positioned to pick up the pieces left by disgruntled voters, sending out a strong message that voters are fed up with the current system that has failed them.
These independents obviously relied heavily on the dissenters, the apathetic and the "gatvol" to make their mark. Unfortunately, the low turnout due to disillusionment, fear of Covid and an opportunity to take a long weekend, did not strengthen their cause.
South Africa's apathy and low turnout may well continue to define local elections in future.
(The ANC refused our request for a photo session or commentary and said we must first get permission to do so).
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