COSATU supports two private members’ bills related to coalitions

COSATU has welcomed the introduction of two private members’ bills related to coalition governments.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Parliament has announced plans to revive the bills during the seventh Parliamentary administration after they expired under the National Assembly’s rules.

DA Chief Whip George Michalakis explained that the main goal is to reduce the number of motions of no confidence against office-bearers across all spheres of government.

COSATU’s Parliamentary coordinator Matthew Parks expressed support for the bills, calling them a positive step forward.

He also pointed out the importance of the draft legislation introduced by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA), urging continued discussions on coalition governance. 

Parks emphasized that these discussions should not be limited to local government, where the private members’ bills and the CoGTA bill are focused but should also include national and provincial levels, as the challenges of coalition governance are similar across all spheres.

“We need to have discussions, irrespective of political support, about what are the right frameworks and thresholds for entering Parliament and municipalities,” Parks said.

He stressed that this broad national conversation is crucial to ensuring effective coalition governance in South Africa.