Developing story: Coalition talks are continuing, and the positions below may change. This article will be updated.
Coalition talks in the Central Karoo have hit a rocky patch after three smaller parties accused ActionSA of undermining negotiations while trying to take control of councils in the district. ActionSA says it will keep engaging all parties in good faith.
The local elections left Beaufort West, Laingsburg and the wider Central Karoo district without an outright majority winner, so parties must form coalitions to govern.
The accusation
The People's Movement for Change (PMC), the Karoo Democratic Force and Pik & Graaf accuse ActionSA of undermining the talks while trying to take control of the municipalities in Beaufort West, Laingsburg and the wider district.
PMC leader Marius Fransman says ActionSA acted in bad faith. According to the PMC, it held initial coalition discussions with ActionSA, but ActionSA then reached an agreement with the Patriotic Alliance in Laingsburg. The PMC has joined the Karoo Democratic Force and Pik & Graaf to form a bloc of five councillors.
ActionSA's response
ActionSA says it will keep engaging all parties in good faith. Spokesperson Matthew George said: "We don't believe it will be appropriate or constructive to address these matters through the media at this stage."
The clock
Talks are under way in 16 hung councils in the Western Cape. Newly elected councils must meet within 14 days of the formal declaration of results to elect mayors and speakers, and the deadline is reported to fall next week.
What we do not yet know
- The seat numbers each party holds in Beaufort West, Laingsburg and the Central Karoo district council.
- The terms of the reported agreement between ActionSA and the Patriotic Alliance in Laingsburg, which neither party has described in the reports we reviewed.
- Which party the five-councillor bloc will back, if any.
- The exact date of the deadline. Reports give different dates, so councils should be checked against the IEC's declaration.
