'I voted for the ANC twice - for Nelson Mandela in 1994 and I gave Thabo Mbeki a chance in 1999': Mashaba

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba says he voted for the ANC twice before realising the party was a “criminal syndicate”.

Speaking at a community meeting in Lanseria in the West Rand, Mashaba said in the beginning he believed that the ANC had a vision for the country but changed his mind during former president Thabo Mbeki’s tenure.

“I voted for the ANC twice — in 1994 for Nelson Mandela and I gave Thabo Mbeki a chance in 1999, but during Mbeki’s era I realised this so-called liberation movement is actually a criminal syndicate,” said Mashaba. 

Mashaba said he looked for other options after realising the party was no longer serving his interests.

He claimed that under Mbeki's presidency he asked to supply proof under oath that he was black in order to access certain business opportunities.

"I said: ‘What nonsense is this? What the hell is going on here?’ I said this is not what I voted for, this is not what I expected.”

Mashaba also explained why he cut political ties with Build One South Africa movement leader Mmusi Maimane.

“The more I had meetings with Mmusi, the more I got confused,” he said. “I think he is a great guy for wanting to start his own thing and it’s starting to blossom. I really wish him everything of the best — but the ActionSA train has already left.”

Mashaba and Maimane parted ways in 2020 after joining forces to start a movement, “The People’s Dialogue”. At the time, Maimane confirmed that he and Mashaba were working together, saying they would “charter a way forward where future generations can be served by individuals who place citizens first”.

However, Mashaba then announced that he was forming his own political party, while Maimane said he would focus on establishing a “movement for one SA”.

“The movement for one South Africa will continue its work to bring change and sees no clash of ideas with the project being undertaken by Herman [Mashaba]. Our engagements will continue as we work together to fix our country and bring the change we need,” Maimane said at the time.

“We would like to emphasise that we have the deepest respect for one another and continue to support each other’s respective, independent efforts to deliver real transformational change in South Africa.”

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