August 17, 2016.
For Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Thabi Madiba.
Making headlines:

DA says some municipal coalition talks fail

EFF students not interested in national varsity shutdown over fees

And, EFF playing hard to get over coalition talks

The DA and the radical leftist EFF will not form coalition governments in two key municipalities, DA's Federal Chair executive James Selfe said today.

Since the ruling ANC lost its majority in most major municipalities this month, in its worst electoral performance since it came to power at the end of apartheid, South Africa's main parties had been attempting to assemble coalitions.

Failure to reach alliances in Johannesburg and Tshwane, which includes the capital Pretoria, could lead to policy paralysis and dampen investor confidence in two of South Africa's economic hubs, analysts say.

The EFF Student Command has asked its members not to get involved in any attempts to shut down higher education campuses over possible tuition fee hikes.

Universities and students were waiting on Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande to announce adjustments for fees.

He was initially meant to make the announcement last week but cancelled at the 11th hour to consult further on the issue.

Meanwhile, the South African Union of Students had already made calls for a national shutdown of universities in protest against a possible hike.

Reports that the EFF could announce that it would be the ultimate kingmaker in hung councils by abstaining from going into any coalitions, had DA and ANC supporters alike in a flurry yesterday.

Some ANC campaigners were asking what an absence of coalitions would mean, while another source close to the party, and with an inside track on negotiations, said "there were so many speculations, we no longer knew what to believe".

ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe told media yesterday that the EFF had turned the ANC down but they were still talking.

The EFF's abstention meant that, in crucial councils like Johannesburg and Tshwane, the red berets would have the decisive vote over, crucially, budget issues – unless fellow opposition leaders also attending commemorations of the 2012 tragedy in Marikana yesterday, convinced them otherwise.

Also making headlines:

Cosas says 'lazy' Sasco using high schoolers for Fees Must Fall campaign.

Communications Minister Faith Muthambi cracks the whip on overseas trips.

And, South African court sets aside Eskom's electricity tariff hikes.

For a news update each morning, register for Polity’s free daily newsletter
That’s a roundup of news making headlines today