Mayoral candidates and party representatives at the National Media Group’s eThekwini election dialogue.
As South Africa prepares for the upcoming local government elections on Wednesday, political parties contesting the eThekwini mayoral race seek to protect municipal finances, service delivery and investor confidence in a likely coalition council.
With multi-party governance likely, candidates are outlining plans to safeguard financial management and ensure policy certainty for businesses.
ActionSA links coalition stability to financial control
ActionSA eThekwini mayoral candidate Zwakele Mncwango said coalition governments were increasingly becoming a reality in South African municipalities. Still, political instability must not compromise municipal revenue collection, financial management or essential service delivery.
“We will insist on a written coalition agreement based on clear governance principles, measurable service delivery commitments and financial accountability,” Mncwango said.
He said the party would protect professional municipal administration from political interference, appoint qualified officials on merit, strengthen consequence management, and ensure continuity in critical economic and financial departments.
“Municipal departments must be led by competent professionals, not political deployees,” Mncwango said.
He added that infrastructure investment plans and financial recovery strategies should be governed by transparent, council-approved frameworks rather than changed whenever political relationships shifted.
EFF targets corruption and political patronage
EFF eThekwini mayoral candidate Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi said the party would insulate core revenue and economic departments from political instability through a coalition agreement anchored in a binding programme of action, approved budgets, measurable performance targets and long-term infrastructure and economic development plans.
She said they would appoint qualified, competent and ethical officials on merit, not political patronage, and strengthen municipal revenue collection, financial management and oversight.
“All contracts, tenders and expenditure will be subject to transparency and accountability, with firm consequences for corruption,” Mkhaliphi said.
“Coalitions must never become a bargaining chip for political elites at the expense of service delivery and economic development.”
She said the EFF’s approach, guided by its Seven Cardinal Pillars, would support small, medium and micro enterprises, township businesses, job creation and industrial development.
IFP calls for certainty for businesses
IFP eThekwini mayoral candidate Mkhuleko Hlengwa said coalition politics required maturity and a commitment to residents’ interests.
He said businesses needed certainty because investment decisions were made over several years. Municipal priorities, administrative appointments and economic policies could not change whenever political tensions emerged.
“My approach would be to establish a clear coalition agreement that identifies agreed priorities, measurable commitments and the principles governing the administration of the municipality,” Hlengwa said.
He identified revenue collection, financial management, infrastructure maintenance and economic development as priorities requiring continuity.
Hlengwa said they would seek agreement on a medium-term programme with defined objectives, implementation schedules and performance indicators. These commitments should be reflected in the approved budget, integrated development plan and service-delivery processes.
He also called for a clear separation between political leadership and professional administration.
“Revenue performance, billing and collection, business approval turnaround times, infrastructure expenditure and economic-development projects should be monitored against published indicators,” Hlengwa said.
Major economic and infrastructure decisions, he added, should go through transparent, lawful processes. Long-term projects should be supported by proper feasibility studies, financial assessments, contractual safeguards and council oversight.
“I would not promise that political instability can be eliminated entirely. No mayor can guarantee that a coalition will never experience disagreements,” Hlengwa said.
“What we can do is build institutions, systems and agreements that reduce the impact of political uncertainty on essential services and economic activity.”
DA aims for majority to speed up change
DA eThekwini mayoral candidate Haniff Hoosen said they are aiming to secure a majority in the City to effect change as quickly as possible.
“Coalition governments slow down service delivery because of constant negotiations on budget spend,” Hoosen said.
“If we get into a coalition government, we will have to conclude a very detailed coalition agreement that sets down the very specific service deliveries that need to be prioritised.”
MK Party will work with like-minded groups
At the recent dialogue hosted by the National Media Group, MK Party representative Professor Thamsanqa Mkhize said the party could work with any organisation that shared its vision.
“The MKP believes in ethical leadership because right now things are in a mess. There’s no transparency, there’s no coalition,” Mkhize said.
Parties are governing together — ANC
eThekwini mayor, the ANC’s Cyril Xaba, said the key issue was whether political parties could govern together.
“Yes, we are governing together in the city. And it’s a function of leadership,” Xaba said.
He attributed the city’s political and administrative stability to his leadership, saying it was accepted by all parties and that there had been no dissent in council.