DURBAN - THE DA could govern another municipality in KwaZulu-Natal if negotiations with smaller parties succeed.
After winning uMngeni Municipality in Howick, the party also became the second-biggest party in uMdoni Local Municipality after the elections, securing seven seats.
With ANC support dipping in the local government elections last week, the DA stands a good chance of snatching the second municipality in the province if the negotiations with small parties succeed.
Out of 37 seats, the ANC won 17, dropping from the 23 seats it held previously; the DA seven, IFP five, EFF five while Al Jama-ah received one and two others one each.
The Daily News was informed that the DA local leadership had already began informal talks with smaller parties which had shown a willingness to form a coalition with the party. The DA’s provincial management team (PMT) would meet on Monday to discuss the approach to the negotiations.
DA provincial deputy chairperson Sithembiso Ngema confirmed that the party would meet on Monday to discuss which parties it would want to work with in hung municipalities in the province. Ngema said the DA stands a good chance of taking over uMdoni but it would depend on which parties the national leadership decided to work with.
He said that in uMdoni the chances were that they would work with the IFP because the party’s position was that it could not work with the ANC.
uMdoni ANC leader Bonginkosi Mngadi said the party was concerned it might lose its grip on the municipality, adding the smaller parties had already turned down the party’s offer to help form a coalition.
The DA local leader Eddie Baptie said they were waiting for a directive from the provincial leadership, which meets on Monday, saying their objective was to govern the municipality and get things done.
EFF national command team member Hlengiwe Mkhaliphi said the party would not be approaching anyone and instead was waiting to be approached by parties.
The IFP said the party has set up a negotiating team which would soon start talks with other parties.
Meanwhile, the National Freedom Party said it has started negotiations with two parties in the province to form a coalition. NFP secretary-general Canaan Mdletshe said his party was in discussion with parties but said he would not divulge their names until agreement was reached.
The party won eDumbe municipality (Paulpietersburg) in Zululand but could not secure enough seats to govern there alone. The party also stood a chance of governing in Nongoma municipality with the ANC. The NFP became the second-biggest party after the IFP and the ANC took third spot.
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