South Africa's new era of coalition government and multi-party democracy

29 May 2024 marked South Africa’s seventh national general elections since the end of apartheid in 1994 and there are questions surrounding the outcomes of the elections. These questions are underscored by the 2016 local government election outcomes which saw the ruling party, African National Congress (ANC) lose its majority in metropolitan municipalities. This resulted in the formation of a coalition government in key municipalities. Even though the South African political system does not have provisions and processes to coalitions. As a response, this paper will discuss what South Africa needs to ensure a stable coalition government at national government level as the ANC has lost its majority in the national elections. Drawing from the local government experiences, we argue that democratic institutions, institutional control, and oversight mechanisms can be used to manage these coalition agreements. This transition will test the strength of South Africa’s democracy and democratic institutions.