Pray the News

Abstract

“The battle lines have been drawn for control of Nelson Mandela Bay, with 38 political parties and nine independent candidates vying for seats as the race to govern the metro heats up ahead of the local government elections. The IEC’s certified list sets the stage for a clash of mayoral heavyweights, with incumbent Babalwa Lobishe and three others who have worn the chains of office — Retief Odendaal, Zanoxolo Wayile and Gary van Niekerk — entering the electoral fray. Wayile tops the SACP’s list as the party breaks with its longstanding practice of campaigning for the ANC. Also entering the fray are national political figures such as the EFF’s Sinawo Thambo. Joining the battle for City Hall is the controversial former municipal housing boss and former acting city manager Mvuleni Mapu, under the MK party banner.

Another familiar face seeking a seat is former municipal corporate services boss Mod Ndoyana, who later served as strategic adviser to then deputy mayor Luxolo Namette and now tops the AIM’s PR list. With the ANC and DA each winning 48 seats in 2021, smaller parties have wielded considerable influence in a succession of unstable coalitions. The ANC secured 37 wards and 11 PR seats, and the DA took 23 wards and 25 PR seats. The 13 parties represented in the metro’s 120-seat council are the ANC, DA, EFF, NA, ACDP, FF+, DOP, PA, AIC, PAC, AIM, GOOD and UDM.”

What are the possible contributing factors for the fragmentation?

• Decline of ANC hegemony and competitive multiparty politics: The decline of ANC hegemony and the rise of competitive multiparty politics are evident. Analysts note that the era of one-party dominance in the metro has ended. The ANC’s support has significantly weakened; it secured only 48 seats in 2021 and has continued to face erosion and internal challenges. As a result, no single party is expected to easily win an outright majority, allowing more room for smaller parties and independent candidates. This trend reflects a national pattern where the decline of the ANC, combined with limitations on the growth of the DA and EFF, leads to increasingly fragmented electoral outcomes.
• The proportional representation (PR) electoral system: South Africa’s local government system employs a mixed model of ward-based and proportional representation (PR) electoral systems, featuring a very low or effectively non-existent threshold for parties to secure seats. This structure mathematically encourages the proliferation of micro-parties and independent candidates, as even modest vote shares can lead to council seats and significant “kingmaker” influence. As a result, the number of registered parties at the national level has surged, with hundreds now in existence. In metropolitan areas like Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB), dozens of parties compete in elections. Small parties often hold disproportionate power in coalitions, which further incentivizes the fragmentation of political parties.
• Voter disillusionment and “political homelessness”: Many residents believe that the major political parties do not adequately represent their interests or provide reliable services. Issues such as water outages, electricity failures, sewage spills, housing backlogs, and financial mismanagement have contributed to this sentiment. As a result, some individuals choose to support smaller or new parties, cast their votes for micro-parties, or opt to stay home, which led to low voter turnout in 2021. Civil society groups have identified governance instability and service failures as significant problems, with some organizations conditioning their support on the implementation of concrete recovery plans.
• Factionalism, breakaways, and competition for positions/resources: Internal factional conflicts within the ANC over positions, patronage, and municipal resources have weakened the party’s structures and led to defections or the formation of new groups. Similar trends can be observed among other political parties. Reports indicate that the competition often emphasizes access to power and resources rather than ideological differences. Smaller parties and independent candidates frequently emerge around personalities—such as former mayors, officials, or councillors—who are seeking to gain influence.
• Coalition instability as both cause and effect: Since 2021 and in earlier years, NMB has faced challenges such as frequent changes in mayors, repeated no-confidence motions, and shifting political alliances. Smaller parties have often held the balance of power, sometimes prioritizing their positions over stable governance. This instability negatively affects service delivery and further erodes public trust, creating a cycle of fragmentation. Analysts note that while multiparty competition may seem “vibrant,” it consistently leads to coalition governments that struggle with continuity.

What are the key ingredients for achieving local success in government?

Here are the factors repeatedly highlighted by analysts, past coalition participants in NMB, Western Cape experience, and civil society:

• A clear, public, written coalition agreement
  The agreement should clearly outline shared priorities such as water and electricity reliability, financial recovery, housing, and road maintenance. It should specify how positions are allocated, decision-making rules, dispute-resolution mechanisms, and performance benchmarks. Agreements that focus solely on seat allocations tend to fall apart quickly. Public agreements help reduce cynicism and foster accountability.
• Political maturity, mutual respect, and humility
  Partners must treat each other as equals rather than as junior or senior partners. Larger parties cannot act as “big brothers,” and smaller ones cannot constantly threaten to walk away for better deals. Past relatively stable periods in NMB (including multi-party arrangements) succeeded when parties set aside pure self-interest and focused on the city. Opportunistic floor-crossing or weaponised no-confidence motions destroy continuity.
• Shared or compatible policy priorities focused on residents
  Ideological purity is less important than agreement on urgent practical goals: reducing water losses, fixing electricity infrastructure, spending capital grants properly, cleaning up finances (UIFWE), and restoring basic maintenance. Coalitions that prioritise patronage, tenders, or positions over these outcomes fail residents. Measurable targets (e.g., water losses from ~63% toward 30%, functional streetlights at 90%, rapid pothole repairs) help keep everyone honest.
• Protection and professionalisation of the administration
  Quickly and permanently fill critical positions, such as city manager and executive directors, with qualified individuals. Ensure a clear separation between political leadership and the bureaucracy to prevent constant rotation of officials or undermining due to factional conflicts. Establish strong Section 79 oversight committees and implement performance monitoring to minimize political interference.
• Transparency, oversight, and external accountability
  Regular public reporting, performance dashboards, and independent monitoring are beneficial tools for ensuring accountability. A concrete local example is the Nelson Mandela Bay Civil Society Coalition’s 18-month Rebuild Plan. This plan proposes a phased approach to stabilization, focusing on leadership, services, and finances first. It includes the establishment of a temporary technical “SWAT” team to address capacity gaps, monthly public dashboards that track key indicators, and a formal governance compact that engages civil society, business, and labor. When parties commit to measurable, externally monitored plans, they demonstrate their seriousness in making progress.
• Stability of leadership and continuity
  Avoid frequent changes to the mayor or mayoral committee. Constant turnover has repeatedly disrupted service delivery in NMB. Once established, the coalition needs internal mechanisms to resolve conflicts without collapsing the government.

Prayer Pointers for a Successful Coalition Government

• For unity and harmony among coalition partners
  “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1)
  Pray that the various parties will set aside personal and partisan ambitions, seek genuine cooperation, and work together for the city’s common good instead of working against one another.
• For godly wisdom in leadership and decision-making
  “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5)
  Ask God to grant the mayor, deputy mayor, committee members, and councillors supernatural wisdom to prioritize what truly benefits residents and to make sound, long-term decisions.
• For integrity, justice and righteous governance
  “When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people groan.” (Proverbs 29:2)
  Pray that leaders would act with honesty, reject corruption and self-interest, and govern justly so that the people of Nelson Mandela Bay experience relief rather than further hardship.
• For a servant heart and genuine care for residents
  “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant… For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.” (Mark 10:43-45)
  Ask God to grant coalition leaders the humility to prioritize the needs of the people first—especially the poor, the vulnerable, and those suffering from inadequate services—rather than pursuing power, positions, or personal gain.
• For peace, stability and effective service delivery
  “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” (1 Timothy 2:1-2)
  Pray for political stability and an end to destructive power struggles. May the coalition provide reliable water, electricity, sanitation, roads, and other essential services so that residents can live in peace and dignity.

A short prayer

We uplift the leaders who will form the coalition government in Nelson Mandela Bay. Grant them genuine unity so they can work together for the benefit of the city rather than against one another. Fill them with wisdom to make sound decisions, and clothe them with integrity and justice so that the people may rejoice. Give them humble, servant hearts that prioritize the needs of residents—especially the vulnerable—above personal or party interests. Establish lasting peace and stability, and enable them to deliver reliable services that restore dignity and hope to our communities.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Listen to the prayer here.

Today’s Scripture Chest with keywords

• Psalm 133:1 – unity
• James 1:5 – wisdom
• Proverbs 29:2 – righteous
• Mark 10:43 – servant
• 1 Timothy 2:1 – petition