As elections results trickled in Pretoria yesterday, opposition parties renewed their commitment to forming coalitions to dislodge the ANC.
DA federal executive chairman James Selfe confirmed to Sowetan that he had met with some leaders from the opposition, except the EFF, to discuss coalitions, especially in the metros.
He said they met IFP, COPE and UDM, among others. Selfe did not rule out forming a coalition with the EFF, even though they rejected its nationalisation policy.
"This is not a national but a municipal election and municipalities do not expropriate the mines and only national government does that," Selfe said. "Municipalities are about good service delivery and creating potable water, electricity and decent houses and, on that, we can agree with very many other parties."
After more than 69% of the votes were counted nationally, the ANC faced a serious threat in other major metros. By the time of going to press, the DA was leading the ANC in Johannesburg, the country's economic hub, with 42.7% to 41.3%.
The results of the EFF and others - gave the clearest indication that a coalition of the opposition could oust the ANC.
EFF spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi confirmed that they had not spoken to any party about possible coalitions.
He said their formal position is that they would not work with the ANC. "We are not working with the ANC in these elections. It is going to be hard for us, these people treated us badly," Ndlozi said.
But Sowetan established that the EFF hard-liners could only reach out to the ANC should the party agree to remove President Jacob Zuma, agree to land expropriation without compensation and free education, among others.
IFP national chairman Albert Mncwango said there was no major issue that could prevent a coalition with the DA.
"We will discuss the terms of cooperation when we will have to establish a municipality. We already have some sort of cooperation with the DA in terms of party agents," he said. "We are sharing those kind of resources and we are also assisting the EFF where they do not have party agency."
COPE president Mosiuoa Lekota said the party already had working arrangements with the DA but that it would first discuss the matter afresh.
"We still have working arrangements with them in the number of municipalities in Northern Cape and Western Cape," Lekota said.
ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said the ANC was worried about the voter turnout.
By the time of going to press, IEC chief electoral officer Mosotho Moepya reported that the voter turn out was at 58.9% of the counted votes.
"The only worry we are having is the question of turnout because it will impact on the proportional representation of the ANC," Mantashe said.
