ActionSA’s mayoral candidate for Ekurhuleni, Xolani Khumalo, and Gavin Siti have officially been sworn in as councillors in the City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality.
Khumalo and Siti took the oath of office on Monday, November 10, 2025, marking what the party described as a key step in strengthening its governance capacity within the metro ahead of the 2026 local government elections.
According to ActionSA, Khumalo’s appointment will allow him to gain first-hand experience of the municipality’s systems, operations, and challenges, an important step in preparing him for higher office.
The party said the role would also support his transition from community activism into formal political leadership, positioning him to better serve the residents of Ekurhuleni and advance ActionSA’s mission to “fix the city.”
Speaking after being sworn in, Khumalo said it was “really a privilege to officially serve as a councillor under the green umbrella ActionSA and to also serve the people of Ekurhuleni.”
⌛️ It’s time to restore the Rule of Law in the City of Ekurhuleni!
Watch as ActionSA Ekurhuleni Mayoral Candidate, @XolaniKhumalo_ is officially sworn in as a councillor in the City of Ekurhuleni.
The days of drug syndicates and crime and corruption in the city are coming to an… pic.twitter.com/L2AoVyXpFN
— ActionSA (@Action4SA) November 10, 2025
He said the opportunity was granted to him because of his track record and commitment to community work. “It’s not because I know how council works or I know certain policies that are in the municipality, but if other people can do it so can I,” he said.
Khumalo cited ActionSA president Herman Mashaba as an example of leadership driven by determination rather than experience.
“There’s living proof of things being possible, our president Herman Mashaba, he was less or had zero experience in mayorship work, but he managed to do it,” Khumalo said.
“This thing is not coding,when you design a robot you have to code it and it’s going to do the functions, but if there are people and there’s a proper supporting structure and time to time we engage with my leadership, I believe that with the knowledge and the experience that I get from other councillors I will be able to survive.”
He acknowledged that the work ahead would not be easy, describing the council environment as challenging.
“I went to council last week Thursday, I saw how these things are done, it’s not a very friendly environment especially when you’re not part of a certain group. So they will try to test you and how far you can get, but we are going to soldier on,” he said.
Khumalo expressed confidence in his team and emphasised unity as crucial to ActionSA’s mission in Ekurhuleni.
“I trust that I have a very good team and I hope that we will work and move in synergy as one, because once we become divided it becomes a problem. We can’t allow any means to infiltrate us, even in war, once you become divided the enemy is going to infiltrate you and you’ll find yourself in a position where you can’t defend yourself,” he said.
Last month, ActionSA announced Khumalo as its mayoral candidate for the Ekurhuleni metropolitan municipality ahead of the upcoming local government elections.
Party president Mashaba made the announcement, stating that Khumalo was an “ethical leader”.
“A fearless, ethical leader, Khumalo is ready to reclaim the Ekurhuleni from criminals, provide basic services and ensure growth and jobs,” he said.
Politics
