ActionSA celebrates surprise Robben Island victory

NewsSportLifestyleEntertainmentOpinionNews Western CapeActionSA celebrates surprise Robben Island victoryZenande Mpame|Published 1 hour agoCopy to ClipboardAsk AIActionSA mayoral candidate Dereleen James said the party had initially focused on introducing itself to residents and establishing a foundation for future electoral contests.

ActionSA has emerged as the leading party in Robben Island’s voting district, securing 11 of the 48 votes cast in Cape Town’s 2026 local government elections.

The party finished ahead of the ANC, EFF, DA and MK Party in the voting district, which forms part of Ward 54.

ActionSA’s Cape Town mayoral candidate, Dereleen James, said the result came as a complete surprise, particularly given the party’s limited campaigning on the island. The party’s ward candidate reportedly made only one visit to Robben Island during the campaign.

“The fact that we weren’t really there, we didn’t campaign there, we literally did a quick pop-in and out to get that outcome, that speaks volumes,” James said.

The result also marks a shift in the island’s previous voting patterns, with the majority of voters having supported the EFF in 2021 and the ANC in 2016.

ActionSA’s Director of Strategy and Communications for its Cape Town mayoral campaign, Anslin Gysman, said the party had never anticipated winning the voting district.

“Never in our wildest dreams did we think we would take Robben Island. That was a beautiful gift from the political gods this morning,” he said.

Gysman also referenced former President Nelson Mandela when reflecting on the result, saying: “Tata Madiba and the rest of the lot decided it is ActionSA or nothing.”

James said the result was particularly meaningful, given the island’s place in South Africa’s history.

“I am so inspired because we, too, can form part of the books of history,” James said.

ActionSA contested Cape Town for the first time in the 2026 local government elections, having decided to enter the race just four months before the polls.

James said the party had initially focused on introducing itself to residents and establishing a foundation for future electoral contests.

“This is not what we had expected. Honestly, for us, it was about getting a foot in the door and introducing ActionSA to the residents in the city, while establishing a base towards 2029,” she said.

Gysman also announced that ActionSA had surpassed one million votes nationally, describing the milestone as evidence of growing support for political alternatives.

“We are also very excited to announce that ActionSA has just surpassed one million votes across the country, which is fantastic and speaks to the appetite for change that South Africans want,” he said.

The party says its performance in Cape Town and across the country provides an encouraging foundation as it looks towards the 2029 National Elections.