Parties coalition pacts face legitimacy test

PARTIES which deposited coalition agreements before subjecting them to approval of relevant party organs may be null and void. The party organs will merely rubber stamp the political pacts once they are brought before them for endorsement. The Political Parties Act says a coalition agreement “shall be” sanctioned by the governing body of the political parties entering into a coalition. The coalition agreements must be deposited with the Registrar of Political Parties “at least three months before” an election — December 4 for the March 4 poll...