South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on political parties to place community interests at the centre of municipal coalition negotiations, warning that the delivery of essential services must not be held hostage to political disagreements.
The appeal follows the African National Congress (ANC) securing 30.76% of the vote — its worst electoral result since the end of apartheid — according to figures released by the Electoral Commission on Sunday.
Of the country's eight major cities, only Cape Town was excluded from coalition negotiations after the Democratic Alliance (DA) secured an outright majority there.
In the remaining large cities, the absence of clear majorities is forcing different political forces to seek agreements to form local governments, opening the way for complex negotiations.
Parties face a tight timeline to reach those agreements. The law requires newly elected municipal councils to hold their first sittings within 14 days of the formal declaration of results.
A day after the results were announced, Ramaphosa argued that negotiations must respect the popular will and respond to the concerns and expectations of voters.
"The people have spoken. Their verdict must be respected. Their concerns must be heard and their expectations must now be met," the South African president said.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/?p=559794
