Hill-Lewis: DA already courting parties as coalition talks gather pace

DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis announced on Friday that the party has already begun reaching out to other parties for potential coalition talks following a recent surge in hung councils across South Africa. Speaking to journalists at the national results operations centre in Midrand, Hill-Lewis pointed out that roughly two-thirds of the country's local municipalities will require coalitions, a drastic increase from previous instances where such coalitions were needed only sporadically.

The DA anticipates that around 150 to 160 councils will end up in hung situations, having reached out to numerous parties over the past 24 hours and planning to continue these discussions. Hill-Lewis firmly stated that any party considering co-governing with the DA must adhere to strict governance standards, emphasizing the need for integrity, zero tolerance for corruption, and a proactive approach to uncovering past corruption.

The party's outreach efforts come in the wake of significant metro gains by the DA, with the organization projected to secure the largest party representation in Johannesburg, Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, and Nelson Mandela Bay, while the outcome in Mangaung remains uncertain.