Municipal coalition can be replaced without new elections
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on IOL
In South Africa, the collapse of a municipal coalition does not automatically trigger new local elections. The council can elect a new mayor, form another coalition or govern as a minority, according to South African municipal law.
A South African municipal coalition can lose control of a council without automatically triggering new elections. When one or more parties withdraw support for the coalition agreement, councillors can table a motion of no confidence in the mayor and then elect a replacement if it is adopted, according to IOL.
Parties can also negotiate a new coalition or maintain a minority administration that seeks support on a case-by-case basis to pass its decisions. In the event of persistent disagreements, however, a council can face difficulties voting on its budget, implementing its policies and providing essential services.
South Africa’s 2026 local elections left 137 municipalities without an outright majority, forcing several parties to govern together. South African local elections: SALGA calls for stable coalitions.
Section 139 of the Constitution allows the provincial government to intervene when a municipality no longer fulfils its constitutional or legal obligations. In serious cases, the council can be dissolved and an administrator appointed; a new municipal election must then generally be held within 90 days. Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Velenkosini Hlabisa is calling on parties to prioritise stability and continuity of public services, IOL reports.
