The Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has moved to combine two legislative proposals aimed at stabilising coalition governments at the local level ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections.
During a meeting on Tuesday, the committee discussed the Private Members Bill - Local Government: Municipal Structures Second Amendment Bill, introduced by George Michalakis, a National Assembly member.
The bill seeks to provide legal clarity to stabilise coalition governments, a growing need as coalition politics become more prominent in local government after the 2026 elections.
Michalakis argued that following the 2026 Local Government Elections, coalition governments will be the "new norm", highlighting the necessity for political parties and independent candidates to work together in forming stable coalitions.
He stressed that many current local government coalitions are unstable, often disrupted by motions of no confidence, which are frequently used by smaller parties as political tools rather than genuine accountability measures.
He believes legislation is urgently needed to stabilise these coalitions for the sake of effective governance and service delivery.
The committee noted that the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) has a similar bill in progress, the Local Government: Municipal Structures Amendment Bill.
There was concern about the overlap between the two bills, which could lead to duplication, confusion, and delays.
Committee chairperson Dr Zweli Mkhize emphasised the importance of streamlining the legislative process.
"Presenting two similar Bills separately for public comment within a short space of time would be procedurally inefficient and impractical," said Mkhize.
He further stressed that the public and Parliament would be burdened with reviewing overlapping bills twice, which must be avoided.
The committee resolved that Michalakis should engage with the Minister of Cogta, Velenkosini Hlabisa to integrate both bills into one cohesive proposal.
The Minister is expected to brief the committee within a month, providing an update on the department’s bill, its readiness for Parliament, and a timeline for the expedited processing of the final legislation to ensure its enactment before the 2026 elections.
The committee emphasised the urgency of finalising the legislation in a manner that respects both parliamentary procedure and the public interest, avoiding unnecessary delays.