Municipalities have 14 days to convene their first council sittings, where speakers and mayors will be elected, paving the way for the formation of mayoral committees.

With only one municipality securing an outright majority, coalition negotiations are expected to play a crucial role in determining the leadership of hung councils and ensuring stable municipal administrations.

Tselane also explains how the different ballot papers translate into political representation at municipal and district council level.

“In terms of the legislation, what needs to happen now from the time that the elections were declared, which was on Sunday, within 14 days municipalities have got to meet in order to elect the executive, obviously starting with the speaker and the mayor. And the mayor will then choose his or her team. So that’s where things are.”

“So, for municipalities that have got outright majority. Which is only one, Ohameni. No, those ones can proceed without any hiccups. There is no need for them to be having all these negotiations. But for those that have got hung municipalities, it would mean that they’ve got to find each other so that by the time they go to their first sitting, they are able to elect the mayor, the speaker and then the mayor will then choose the team that are going to be working with.”

–SABC–