Re-elected ANC Johannesburg Regional Secretary Sasabona Manganye says the party holds fundamental ideological differences with the DA, but it will not dismiss it as a potential coalition partner after the November 4 local government elections.
Manganye says the ANC’s priority in any hung municipality will be to secure stable and functional governance that puts residents first.
In a frank interview with Africa Daily on Tuesday, Manganye said while the ANC has deep ideological differences with the DA, it cannot put political purity ahead of residents in hung councils.
His comments come as the ANC braces for a tough local government election where anything can happen.
Manganye said coalition discussions must be guided by pragmatism, not just politics.
“Our position is that coalition discussions must be guided by the interests of residents, the electoral mandate and the need to establish stable, functional municipalities. No option should be considered purely for the sake of accessing political office,” he said.
He admitted the ANC and DA are worlds apart ideologically, particularly on transformation.
“The ANC is a revolutionary movement with a clear ideological commitment to the National Democratic Revolution, the Freedom Charter and the creation of a non-racial, non-sexist and prosperous society. We have fundamental political and ideological differences with the DA, particularly on questions of economic transformation, redress and addressing the historical inequalities created by apartheid,” Manganye said.
But in a hung municipality, he argued, the ANC has a duty to examine every option that can advance service delivery and protect the poor.
“However, in a hung municipality, the responsibility is to examine the available options and determine which arrangement can best advance service delivery and protect the interests of the working class and the poor. Any engagement with the DA would have to be assessed against these principles, not simply the arithmetic of council seats,” he said.
Manganye warned that the ANC must learn from the chaos of previous coalitions in Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni, where unstable deals collapsed within months and left residents paying the price.
“We must also learn from the experience of previous coalition governments. Political agreements that are not supported by clear programmes, accountability mechanisms and a commitment to municipal stability can leave residents paying the price,” he said.
“Ultimately, the question is not simply whether we can work with the DA. It is whether any proposed arrangement can deliver tangible improvements in people’s lives without compromising the ANC’s core principles.”
Asked whether working with the DA would confuse voters and dilute the ANC’s message that the DA is anti-poor and anti-transformation, Manganye conceded the risk.
“There is certainly a risk of political confusion if we criticise a party during an election campaign and subsequently enter a coalition with it without explaining the basis for that decision. Voters are entitled to consistency, honesty and political clarity,” he said.
He was adamant however that a governance agreement does not mean ideological surrender.
“But we must distinguish between an agreement to govern a municipality and an agreement on the ideological direction of the municipality. Parties can negotiate specific governance arrangements without necessarily abandoning their identities or agreeing on every policy question,” Manganye explained.
He drew a firm line in the sand.
“The ANC will never use coalition politics as an excuse to dilute its commitment to economic transformation, the redistribution of opportunities, the protection of workers and the provision of quality services to poor communities. Any agreement must be transparent about the areas of common ground, the issues on which the parties disagree and the commitments that will remain non-negotiable,” he said.