Former ActionSA MMC Nkuli Mbundu laments policy conference 'snub'

Former ActionSA Johannesburg councillor and economic development MMC Nkuli Mbundu says he has been snubbed by not being invited to the party's recent policy conference.

Mbundu, who resigned as a councillor in June, served in former mayor Mpho Phalatse's administration and expressed his displeasure at not being invited to the event.

“I was not selected to participate. I did apply and no reasons were given for the non-participation. But I accept my fate and I know it’s not an automatic selection.”

Mbundu said he would remain a member of ActionSA and continue to help the organisation grow to become a force in 2024 and bring about change.

“The ActionSA policy conference was the platform to define our future. The leadership must have felt there were better candidates to participate. I will continue to support the party. I still believe in Herman Mashaba and his vision for the country.

“ActionSA went through a meticulous process to select policy conference participants. No-one is entitled, not even me. It’s a merit-based system with a finite number of participants. This speaks of a progressive movement, probably the most progressive on today’s political landscape.”

Last week, ActionSA gathered 614 delegates from its 52 districts and eight metros to finalise its policy offering to voters.

National chair Michael Beaumont told TimesLIVE he doubts the exclusion was personal as they parted on good terms when Mbundu resigned.

“The reality is the selection process was managed by the provincial and regional executive on the basis that some are branch members and some public representatives. Mbundu no longer is,” he said.

“The party had the responsibility of choosing 614 delegates from 245,000 people — and to interpret it as personal would not be an honest reflection.”

TimesLIVE