FF Plus rules out EFF, MK Party and PAC coalitions after local elections

FF Plus leader Dr Corné Mulder says coalition governments could become the norm after the November 4 local elections, but the Freedom Front Plus will only work with parties sharing its political principles.

Freedom Front Plus leader Dr Corné Mulder has ruled out coalition partnerships with the EFF, MK Party and PAC after the November 4 local government elections, saying the parties do not share the same values and principles.

Mulder said coalition governments were likely to become the norm in municipalities after the elections. However, the Freedom Front Plus would only work with parties it could associate with, and that would act in the interests of communities.

He was speaking to the SABC in Pretoria after the party launched its 2026 local government election manifesto, which sets out a 10-point plan focused on service delivery, accountability and tackling failing municipal administration.

With more than 500 political parties contesting the elections, Mulder said the focus should be on the larger parties when considering possible coalition arrangements.

He said Johannesburg would be particularly fragmented, with about 80 parties contesting the election.

“My view is that one should look at the 10 larger parties. The Freedom Front Plus is one of those,” Mulder said.

He said the party hoped coalitions could be formed between fewer parties to ensure greater stability.

Mulder said the Freedom Front Plus would consider working with parties whose values aligned with its own, but would not enter into partnerships with parties it fundamentally disagreed with.

He specifically named the EFF, MK Party and PAC as parties the Freedom Front Plus would not want to work with.

“The reality is that, specifically those parties that I've mentioned, and there may be others, we do not share the same value system, we do not share the same ideals and principles necessarily,” Mulder said.

He acknowledged that political parties could agree on issues such as service delivery while still having fundamentally different political positions.

“We may all agree on no bottles, we may all agree on fixing the grid, or having electricity or the water system,” he said.

But Mulder said voters should also consider the broader values and principles of the parties they support.