Former President Kgalema Motlanthe attending the National Dialogue on coalitions at the University of the Western Cape. Picture: Leon Lestrade/ African News Agency (ANA)
Deputy President Paul Mashatile said they were going to have more engagements with civil society, political parties and other stakeholders on the framework for coalitions.
He said they will still have to work out what form this would take.
This could either be in the form of legislation or regulations.
But that will be determined during further engagements.
Mashatile said the National Dialogue on coalitions at the weekend was the first step.
The government has already been criticised by political parties who accused it of already being ahead with its plans on coalitions.
Smaller parties have questioned the proposal by the ANC and DA on the 1% threshold for a party to get a seat in council or national legislature.
But Mashatile has denied that there was a deal between the ANC and DA on this.
He said when government engages with civil society and political parties they will still have to decide what form the framework for coalitions would have to take.
“The most important thing is that all those who participated felt that we are going to need more engagements going forward because there were issues that political parties expressed different views, like issues of threshold that they think need further refining.
“But generally, the idea of a national framework is agreed to by all parties. The issue of how you implement it, whether you need legislation or regulations, those are the issues that are going to go for further refinement.
“We agreed today as we were concluding that this was just the first step. We have agreed on the need for a framework, we are finalising it. There is going to be further engagements, particularly with political parties. But as you know, we have extended the process. Our doors will be open to engage with various stakeholders because the presidency must continue to drive the process working with the Minister of Cooperative Governance,” said Mashatile.
The National Dialogue took place at the time the parties were trying to work out strategies for next year’s elections.
The government was concerned about unstable coalitions in Gauteng metros and other municipalities across the country.
Most of the hung councils have had motions of no confidence in the last two years.
One of the proposals by the official opposition on the table was to limit the number of motions of no confidence.
They said this would ensure stability in a coalition government.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
Politics