One of the most basic skills in politics is the ability to build coalitions. Politics is not a single-player sport. Even in a context where political contestations allow for people to be directly elected as individuals, an individual cannot elect themselves.

They must formally or informally coalesce with other people in society around a vision that makes them electable by masses of people. Building strong coalitions is not simply a matter of convenience. It requires an aligning of people’s ideas and interests with a common aspiration and a clear goal. The 2021 local government elections signalled important shifts in SA politics away from politics that centres on one or two big parties, to politics that is devolved and voters who want more in exchange for their votes than slogans and unfulfilled promises...