- DA leader John Steenhuisen says the DA has spoken to multiple political parties.
- He was giving an update on coalition prospects.
- The DA has sealed deals in some municipalities in the Western Cape.
The DA's coalition ambitions in Johannesburg and Tshwane remain shaky and unclear.
Giving an update on the party's coalition talks on Tuesday, DA leader John Steenhuisen said it spoke to multiple parties but had not sealed any deals.
Johannesburg
A meeting between the DA, FF Plus, ACDP, Patriotic Alliance, IFP and UDM took place on Monday in Johannesburg. There was a discussion on coalition principles, and another meeting is scheduled for this week.
But things look bleak thanks to the Patriotic Alliance's partnership with the ANC in Johannesburg.
Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie announced on Monday that the ANC had promised to award political roles to the PA if it partnered with it to form a coalition.
"With the PA partnering with ANC in Joburg, the path for the opposition has been narrowed and much more difficult," he said.
Tshwane
Steenhuisen said prospects were better in Tshwane. The DA, FF Plus, ActionSA, ACDP and COPE have enough numbers to make up the 108-seat majority needed to run the city, he said.
Western Cape
In smaller hung municipalities in the Western Cape, the party has had better luck.
It partnered with the FF Plus in the Cederberg and Matzikama municipalities.
In Matzikama, a DA mayor was elected when an EFF councillor voted with the DA in support of its candidate, although the DA has no coalition agreement with the EFF in Matzikama. DA Federal Council chairperson Helen Zille said the DA was taken aback by the support from the EFF councillor.
Steenhuisen dismissed comments from President Cyril Ramaphosa last week that an election rerun was possible if political parties failed to form coalition governments.
He said legislation was clear that councillors could not simply boycott council meetings with the aim of destabilising a municipality.