As parties prepare for coalition negotiations following the 2026 Local Government Elections, Al-Jama-ah says discussions should prioritise communities and service delivery rather than political positions and personal interests.
By Mapaballo Borotho
Political parties have been cautioned against using coalition negotiations as an opportunity to pursue political power at the expense of service delivery and community development.
These sentiments were shared by Al-Jama-ah, whose member Kabelo Gwamanda previously served as the Mayor of Johannesburg.
Speaking at the National Results Operating Centre in Midrand on Friday, 6 November 2026, the party expressed concerns that some political formations were more interested in securing positions and advancing personal interests than improving the lives of South Africans who turned out to vote for better-run municipalities.
This comes as political parties that contested the 2026 Local Government Elections face the task of negotiating coalition agreements, with no outright majority emerging in several municipalities thus far.
Al-Jama-ah president Ganief Hendricks says the party is not prepared to enter coalition negotiations with other political formations at this stage.
Hendricks, who represents the party in the Government of National Unity (GNU), argues that meaningful coalition negotiations should only begin once the election results have been formally announced.
“All negotiations that are taking place from now until next week are all Mickey Mouses, not true negotiations”.
Coalition talks take centre stage
With more than 80% of the votes counted at the time of writing, attention is increasingly shifting towards the negotiations that could determine the composition of municipal governments.
The emerging results have shown the DA making gains in Gauteng’s metros, alongside the ANC and ActionSA, adding to the focus on possible coalition arrangements.
Meanwhile, Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie has indicated that he would consider working with the DA to establish coalition governments.
McKenzie said that despite his personal differences with the party, he was willing to work towards a functional relationship in municipalities where cooperation could benefit communities.
As the results process continues, the question facing political parties is not only who will govern, but how they intend to work together to address the service delivery challenges confronting municipalities.
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