Herman Mashaba Gets a Stark Message About Helen Zille

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba is being urged to set aside his long-running disagreements with Democratic Alliance (DA) veteran Helen Zille and to think about rebuilding ties with his former party. The appeal comes as South Africa enters another important round of coalition negotiations.

Tensions between Mashaba and Zille have come back into view after the 2026 Local Government Elections, which have put both of them at the centre of talks about who will lead the City of Johannesburg. Mashaba served as Johannesburg mayor under the DA before leaving the party in 2019 to start ActionSA. He has often criticised Zille over their troubled relationship, and the two have different views on the events that led to the split.

A message aimed at Mashaba now encourages him to rethink how he deals with Zille and the DA. It argues that spending valuable political years on old battles could stop him from making a bigger contribution to the country. The message accepts that the two do not have to agree on everything or forget what happened between them. It says, however, that political maturity sometimes calls for compromise, forgiveness and a willingness to move on. It also says South Africa needs experienced leaders who can build bridges across political divides instead of staying locked in personal rivalries.

The timing matters for Johannesburg. The DA came out as the leading party in the city’s 2026 local government elections, and ActionSA also won significant support, which makes it an important player in any coalition deal. The relationship between the two parties is still complicated by Mashaba’s objections to Zille’s leadership and her ambition to become mayor.

On 8 November, reports said ActionSA had serious reservations about backing Zille as mayor of Johannesburg. Mashaba later challenged parts of that reporting and accused the publication of misleading the public. Zille has also spoken publicly about the tension between them.

With coalition talks expected to decide the city’s next administration, political observers will be watching to see whether the DA and ActionSA can find common ground. The appeal to Mashaba raises a simple question: should old personal disagreements keep shaping the relationship between parties when cooperation could benefit residents? For now, it is uncertain whether he and Zille can put their differences aside, but the outcome could have a real effect on Johannesburg’s political future.

https://x.com/Markosonke1/status/2119709701940093112?a=BhnfcAIX1H187hti4MY&s=19

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