The Nexus between Conflict Management and Coalition Politics in Three Selected Metropolitan Municipa

The Nexus between Conflict Management and Coalition Politics in Three Selected Metropolitan Municipalities in South Africa
Ntsikelelo Benjamin Breakfast (Nelson Mandela University)

This paper compares the complexities and nuances of coalition politics in three selected metropolitan municipalities in South Africa (SA) during the period between 2016 and 2020. These municipalities are Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality, City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality and City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality. The main aim is to propose a conflict management mechanism for dealing with the contradictions among the political parties regarding power-sharing at local government level. The central question the article grapples with is whether conflict management is a workable approach to address the challenges experiences by political parties in coalition partnerships in Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality, City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality and City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality. The paper outlines a qualitative descriptive investigation, based on a literature review assessment, and employs integrative theory in the light of conflict management. Not much scholarly work has been undertaken with regard to the contribution of conflict management to the functioning of coalitions in South Africa. Thus, this paper intends to contribute to the ongoing debate surrounding coalition politics in SA. Conflict should not be viewed as a zero-sum game by political protagonists. The main line of argument is that political elites have a tendency to form coalitions without developing a conflict management mechanism to address their differences amicably.