ActionSA President Makes Big Proposal Involving Helen Zille And Johannesburg Mayoral Position

ActionSA president Herman Mashaba has made a major proposal that could change the political leadership of Johannesburg and Tshwane after the 2026 local government elections.

His proposal involves him and Democratic Alliance (DA) federal council chairperson Helen Zille stepping aside from the Johannesburg mayoral contest, potentially clearing the way for a different DA candidate to take the position.

According to the Sunday Times on Tuesday, November 10, Mashaba communicated his proposal in a letter to DA federal leader Geordin Hill-Lewis dated November 7.

He suggested that both he and Zille withdraw as mayoral candidates so that the DA could nominate another candidate acceptable to ActionSA.

Under the proposed arrangement, the DA would retain the Johannesburg mayoral position, while ActionSA would receive the deputy mayor position. The remaining details of a possible coalition agreement would then be negotiated between the parties.

The proposal comes after the two parties emerged as important players in Gauteng’s three metropolitan municipalities.

In Johannesburg, the DA received 34.79% of the vote, followed by the ANC with 20.25% and ActionSA with 16.27%. These results make cooperation between the DA and ActionSA a possible route to forming a governing coalition.

However, Mashaba’s proposal does not stop at Johannesburg. He also wants the DA to support ActionSA’s Dr Nasiphi Moya as Tshwane mayor.

Under his suggested arrangement, DA mayoral candidate Cilliers Brink would resign his council seat, while the DA would nominate a deputy mayoral candidate acceptable to ActionSA.

In return, the DA would back Moya for another term in the capital. ActionSA has made retaining her mayoral position a major condition in its coalition discussions.

Mashaba explained that the difficult history between the two parties should not prevent them from finding a solution for residents. In his letter, he wrote: “It would be irresponsible to allow such history to inhibit the exploration of further discussions that could provide relief to the long-suffering residents of Gauteng.”

However, the DA may not easily accept the conditions. A DA leader told the Sunday Times that the party was uncomfortable with being dictated to by a smaller political party, warning that such an arrangement could create problems later.

ActionSA chairperson Michael Beaumont confirmed that a letter had been sent to the DA but expressed disappointment that its contents had reached the media. He said the party preferred to allow negotiations to proceed without public pressure.

The proposal now places Geordin Hill-Lewis and the DA in a difficult position as coalition discussions continue. No final agreement has been announced, and the leadership of both Johannesburg and Tshwane remains subject to council negotiations.

Do you think the DA should accept Mashaba’s proposal, allowing it to lead Johannesburg while supporting Nasiphi Moya in Tshwane? Or should Helen Zille remain the DA’s preferred candidate? Share your views in the comments.

Source: https://x.com/ZANewsFlash/status/2120014495255023757?a=bq-XdaDtn-ih9nkHq4o&s=19

NationTimes feedback-opera-news-app@opera.com