The DA and FF Plus have reconciled and, together with the ACDP, have formed a new multiparty coalition in the George Municipality, aiming to stabilise the council ahead of the 2026/27 local government elections. The agreement follows weeks of turmoil after three DA ward councillors resigned and crossed to the Patriotic Alliance (PA), stripping the previous DA–ACDP coalition of its slim majority and triggering upcoming by-elections. Under the new arrangement, Browen Johnson will be elected mayor, Gert van Niekerk (FF Plus) becomes deputy mayor, and outgoing mayor Jackie von Brandis moves into the role of chief whip. While the coalition secures short-term control, the defections to the PA highlight how fluid alliances and floor-crossing continue to define coalition politics, with George emerging as a key battleground ahead of 2026.
