COALITION governance has become a prominent feature of South Africa’s political landscape, emerging across local, provincial, and national levels.
The ANC, often the leading party in these coalitions, has consistently branded these power-sharing arrangements as “governments of unity”. However, the reality behind this rhetoric tells a very different story.
Rather than embodying true unity, these coalitions are political marriages of convenience, fragile and unsustainable. The term “government of unity” is a gross misrepresentation of what is actually a scramble for power, driven by self-interest rather than a commitment to public service or cohesive governance.
The ANC’s weakening grip on power has led to a proliferation of coalition governments. At the local level, particularly in key metros such as Johannesburg, Tshwane, and Nelson Mandela Bay, no single party has been able…
