Mashaba Defends Working With ANC For Stability
ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has defended his party’s decision to enter coalition talks with the ANC, despite previous vows never to work with the governing party, saying ActionSA is adapting to voters’ best interests and prioritising stability.
Mashaba’s comments come as ActionSA confirmed it has held its first round of talks with the ANC, describing the engagement as “productive.”
A PRAGMATIC SHIFT
Mashaba acknowledged that the decision would raise eyebrows among supporters who remember his fierce criticism of the ANC, but he argued that the party has a responsibility to ensure that the voters who put their trust in ActionSA are not left without a voice in government.
“We are adapting to the best interests of the voters,” Mashaba said. “The people of Soweto and Johannesburg did not vote for paralysis. They voted for change, and change requires us to be in the room where decisions are made.”
He cited ActionSA’s successful working relationship with the ANC in Tshwane as evidence that the two parties can collaborate on service delivery, even if they disagree on broader political issues.
THE MATH OF THE JOBURG COUNCIL
The final election results have left Johannesburg with a hung council, requiring a coalition to govern the city.
The DA emerged as the largest party with 34.79% of the vote and 91 seats, but fell short of the 136 seats needed for an outright majority. The ANC dropped to 20.25% with 63 seats, while ActionSA secured 16.27% and 44 seats, making it a crucial kingmaker in the negotiations.
ActionSA’s support in Soweto surged, particularly in Protea Glen’s Ward 135, where the party secured 33.1% of the vote, beating the ANC’s 21.1%. The party also won wards in areas that have historically been ANC strongholds.
THE COALITION LANDSCAPE
The Johannesburg coalition negotiations are complex and fraught with political tension.
While the DA may consider invoking the terms of the national Government of National Unity to demand a role in Johannesburg, the Joburg ANC is reportedly resisting, with insiders saying “The DA is not our friend; it is not a friend of the poor”.
ActionSA’s Mashaba has also ruled out working with DA mayoral candidate Helen Zille, further complicating the arithmetic.
Mashaba said ActionSA would only enter a coalition if it could secure meaningful concessions on service delivery, housing, and the fight against corruption.
“We will not be a junior partner in a government that does not deliver for our people,” he said.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR SOWETO
For Soweto residents, the coalition talks will determine who controls the city’s budget and how resources are allocated to the township.
If ActionSA joins a coalition, it could use its influence to push for greater investment in Soweto’s water and electricity infrastructure, housing, and local economic development.
However, residents are wary of political horse-trading that leaves them with more promises and fewer services.
“We voted for change, but we don’t want the same old politics behind closed doors,” said a Protea Glen resident who asked not to be named. “We want to see water in our taps and jobs for our children.”
