CoGTA's coalition rules: no tender deals, new councils by 26 November

Parties negotiating coalitions in South Africa's hung councils now have a government rulebook. Cooperative Governance Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa issued the Guidelines for Stable Coalitions in Local Government on 11 November 2026, and the key message is simple: coalition deals may not reach into appointments, procurement or tender awards (SA Government).

The guidelines arrive with the clock already running. CoGTA says the 14-day period to constitute metro and local councils runs from 12 to 26 November, after the results were published in the Government Gazette (IOL; SABC News).

Why did CoGTA issue coalition guidelines now?

About 138 metro and local municipalities, roughly 65% of councils, produced no outright majority in the 4 November election, according to CoGTA. Those councils will need coalitions, minority governments or some other working arrangement (SA Government).

The law that was meant to regulate this is not ready. The Local Government: Municipal Structures Amendment Bill, known as the Municipal Coalitions Bill, is still going through Parliament, so the guidelines are an interim framework (IOL). They were considered at a technical MinMEC meeting on 9 November and then approved at a political MinMEC meeting with provincial local government MECs (eNCA; IOL).

Hlabisa said the people who suffer most from unstable councils are "the residents who depend on municipalities for essential services" (SA Government).

What do the coalition guidelines say?

They are guidance, not a new law, but they set out what CoGTA expects from parties and municipalities (SA Government):

• Coalition partners are encouraged to sign written agreements covering shared policy priorities, who gets which political posts, how decisions are made, standards of conduct and how disputes are resolved.
• A template coalition agreement is included for parties to adapt to their municipality.
• Coalition agreements must not interfere with decisions the law gives to the council, authorised office-bearers or the administration. Staff appointments, procurement and tender awards stay with the lawful decision-makers.
• Municipalities should tighten council rules of order and delegations so that approved budgets, Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) and service delivery programmes carry on even if a coalition wobbles.

The guidelines also name shifting power between coalition partners as a driver of the frequent removal and re-election of mayors and speakers seen in the last term (IOL). After the 2021 election, 76 municipalities ended up governed by coalitions (Inside Politics).

The full document is on CoGTA's website (CoGTA guidelines PDF).

When must the new councils meet?

Hlabisa stressed that coalition talks do not suspend or extend these deadlines (SA Government). District councils cannot be formed before the local councils in their area are in place (IOL).

Some legal explainers count the 14 days from the IEC's declaration of results on 8 November, which would point to 22 November (Inside Politics). CoGTA counts from the gazette, which gives 26 November (IOL). Either way, your municipal manager sets the actual date of your council's first sitting, so watch your municipality's notices.

What happens if a council misses the deadline?

CoGTA says the matter must then be dealt with under the applicable legislation and prescribed procedures (IOL). Hlabisa has asked provincial MECs to monitor compliance and step in early where delays threaten how a municipality runs (SA Government).

Parties can also go into a first sitting without a signed deal. A coalition agreement does not elect anyone: the mayor and speaker are still chosen by councillors voting in council (Inside Politics).

Where do the big metro talks stand?

Negotiations are moving in Gauteng, where the DA won the most votes in Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni but no majority. The ANC's National Executive Committee meets on Thursday, 12 November, to decide its coalition approach for the three metros, while ActionSA is talking to both the DA and the ANC (Daily Maverick).