PRETORIA, Gauteng — As the nation prepares for the upcoming local elections, the **South Africa 2026 Coalitions Bill** has emerged as the central piece of legislation aimed at reshaping municipal governance. Political analyst Professor Lesiba Teffo asserts that the proposed reforms are critical to curbing the disproportionate “kingmaker” power wielded by small political parties and independent candidates in hung councils.
In a detailed analysis of the current political landscape, Teffo highlighted the extreme fragmentation of South Africa’s political sphere, noting the existence of approximately 600 registered political parties for a relatively small economy. He characterized many of these micro-factions as being led by “political entrepreneurs” rather than dedicated public servants. According to Teffo, this shift away from public-spiritedness violates the ethos of Section 175 of the Constitution, which outlines the core values and principles expected of public office bearers.
Teffo, who has campaigned for electoral act amendments for the past 25 years, pointed to historical missed opportunities that led to the current municipal instability. He referenced the “Asma” commission, which mandated the late Dr. Slab to develop a more effective electoral model. However, Teffo argued that a lack of political will and courage prevented its implementation. He further attributed the current governance mess to “Kada” deployment policies, controversially claiming this approach was responsible for the ANC losing power in 2004.
Addressing the structural interventions of the Local Government Municipal Structures Amendment Bill—tabled in August—Teffo evaluated the proposed 1% electoral threshold. While he acknowledged the threshold would filter out many micro-parties, he advocated for a more robust regulatory framework to ensure lasting stability. Teffo proposed that coalitions should be capped at a maximum of five parties and must strictly be led by the party that secured the majority vote. He contrasted South Africa’s legislative delays with the immediate execution of policies by figures like Donald Trump, urging the government to find the political will to pass the amendments without taking decades to implement necessary changes.
When questioned on whether a 1% threshold risks disenfranchising minority voters and stifling political diversity, Teffo offered a scathing critique of contemporary democratic and human rights paradigms. He argued that democracy is meaningless if it fails to serve the practical interests of the people. Highlighting what he described as the hypocrisy of global human rights champions, he pointed to the deaths of children in Palestine and 167 school children in Iraq, noting the silence of the civilized world. Teffo concluded with a provocative stance on the nation’s founding document, suggesting that if the Constitution cannot effectively serve its own people, it should be amended or set aside entirely.
