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Report on Hung Councils in South Africa REPORT Hung Councils in South Africa: Law and Practice JENNICA BEUKES JENNICA BEUKES 1 2 PUBLISHED BY The Dullah Omar Institute, University of the Western Cape New Social Sciences Building University of the Western Cape Robert Sobukwe Road Bellville http://www.dullahomarinstitute.org.za Jennica Beukes is a Doctoral Researcher at the Dullah Omar Institute of the University of the Western Cape. Her LLD focuses on coalition governments in local government. She undertakes research, research, teaching and provides consultancy on coalition governments, local government structures and systems and governance in municipalities. This research report was made possible with financial support of the Cape Higher Education Consortium. 2021 Dullah Omar Institute, University of the Western Cape 2 3 CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................... 6 1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................. 8 2. THE CONTEXT AND TYPOLOGY OF COALITION GOVERNMENT ............................................................ 9 2.1 THE CONTEXT: THE RATIONAL ACTOR’S CHOICE THEORY ............................................................... 9 2.2 DEFINING COALITION GOVERNMENTS ........................................................................................ 10 2.3 DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN COALITIONS OF DESIRE AND COALITIONS OF NECESSITY .................. 10 2.4 DIFFERENT TYPES OF COALITION GOVERNMENTS ...................................................................... 11 2.4.1 Minimal-majority coalition government ................................................................................ 11 2.4.2 Grand coalition government ............................................................................................... 13 2.4.3 Government of national unity ............................................................................................. 14 2.4.4 Minority government .......................................................................................................... 15 2.5 THE VALUE AND PITFALLS WITH COALITION GOVERNMENTS ....................................................... 16 2.5.1 What is the value of coalition governments? ............................................................................ 16 2.5.1.1 The objectives of the parliamentary democratic system of government ......................... 17 2.5.1.2 Coalitions promote power-sharing .............................................................................. 18 2.5.1.3 Coalitions promote inclusion and deliberation ............................................................. 18 2.5.1.4 Coalition governments may be more democratic than a single-party government .......... 19 2.5.1.5 Coalition governments can facilitate policy stability ..................................................... 19 2.5.1.6 Coalitions may increase accountability and oversight in municipalities ......................... 21 2.5.1.7 Acquiring influence to determine the agenda in the council ......................................... 22 2.5.1.8 Political parties in the coalition may chair one or more portfolios in the municipality..... 24 2.6 What are the pitfalls of coalition governments? .......................................................................... 24 2.6.1 The unity-distinctiveness dilemma in coalition governments ..................................................... 25 2.6.1.1 Unity in coalition governments ................................................................................... 25 2.6.1.2 Party distinctiveness in coalition governments ............................................................ 27 2.6.2 Conflict in the coalition government ........................................................................................ 30 2.6.3 Summarising the main points from the discussion thus far ....................................................... 34 3. THE INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S LOCAL GOVERNMENT ................................... 35 3.1 THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ......................... 35 3.2 THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR COALITIONS ....... 36 3.2.1 Electing PR-councillors under closed-list PR ............................................................................. 36 3.2.2 Electing ward councillors through the FPTP system .................................................................. 38 3.2.3 The absence of threshold requirements in the electoral system of local government.................. 39 3 4 3.2.4 The coalition bargaining time-frame ........................................................................................ 42 3.3 THE LEGISLATIVE-EXECUTIVE RELATIONS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ............................................. 44 3.3.1 The fusion of legislative and executive power in the municipal council ...................................... 44 3.3.2 Taking decisions through a majority vote ................................................................................. 45 3.3.3 The relationship between the Speaker and the Mayor .............................................................. 46 3.3.4 The need to establish a quorum to conduct council meetings ................................................... 48 3.3.5 Responding to cooperation challenges in the council and the executive .................................... 50 4. DEVISING INCENTIVES FOR COOPERATION IN THE COALITION GOVERNMENT .................................. 53 4.1 Finding suitable coalition partners ............................................................................................. 53 4.2 Devising a coalition programme ................................................................................................. 55 4.3 Dividing the spoils: Portfolio and office distribution ..................................................................... 55 4.3.1 The formateur’s advantage in portfolio and office distribution .................................................. 56 4.3.2 The strategic distribution of portfolios in coalition governments ................................................ 57 4.3.3 The issue of size in portfolio allocation .................................................................................... 58 4.3.4 Incorporating the principle of proportionality in portfolio distribution ......................................... 59 4.3.5 Office distribution in the coalition government ......................................................................... 61 4.4 Mechanisms for stable coalition governance .............................................................................. 63 4.4.1 The coalition agreement ......................................................................................................... 63 4.4.1.1 Cementing the bargains and compromises of the coalition negotiations ....................... 63 4.4.1.2 The legal status of coalition agreements ..................................................................... 64 4.4.2 Mechanisms for dispute resolutions ........................................................................................ 66 4.4.3 Maintaining oversight in the coalition government ................................................................... 67 4.4.3.1 Questioning in the council .......................................................................................... 67 4.4.3.2 Section 79 and section 80 committees ...................................................................... 68 4.4.3.3 Maintaining good relations through regular informal coalition talks .............................. 69 5. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ....................................................................................... 70 BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................................................... 72 Books ............................................................................................................................................ 72 Cases ............................................................................................................................................. 73 Chapters in books ........................................................................................................................... 74 Conference papers ......................................................................................................................... 74 Constitution .................................................................................................................................... 75 Internet .......................................................................................................................................... 75 Journal articles ............................................................................................................................... 77 4 5 Legislation ..................................................................................................................................... 80 Newspaper ..................................................................................................................................... 81 Regulations ...................................................................................................................................
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