ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has claimed that former DA parliamentary leader Lindiwe Mazibuko approached him with a proposal to serve as his party’s mayoral candidate for Joburg.
Mashaba told the Sunday Times yesterday that he had rejected Mazibuko’s proposal.
According to sources in the party, the rejection came after ActionSA’s corridors were filled this week with speculation that talks with Mazibuko over her candidacy for the Joburg mayorship were at an advanced stage.
“Lindiwe Mazibuko is the one who approached me to stand,” said Mashaba. “Unfortunately she wanted to stand on the condition we group up with Mmusi [Maimane] and Rise [Mzansi] — and that’s something to me that doesn’t make sense. I said to her that the proposal is out; it is not going to work."
Mazibuko, has however denied asking to stand as Mashaba’s candidate for Jozi.
“No, I have never solicited any mayoral candidacy from ActionSA or any political party, or any group of political parties,” she said in a terse message.
Should Mazibuko run on an ActionSA ticket, the move would see her going toe-to-toe with her former boss and mentor Helen Zille, who is the DA candidate for Joburg mayor in the 2026 elections
Should Mazibuko run on an ActionSA ticket, the move would see her going toe-to-toe with her former boss and mentor Helen Zille, who is the DA candidate for Joburg mayor in the 2026 elections.
“The ball was rolling a few weeks ago, but the steam seems to have simmered down. However, nothing is off the table. It would be so ironic for her [Mazibuko] to go up against Gogo [Helen Zille] for the Joburg contest, under our banner. I really hope she comes to an agreement with Mashaba,” said one insider.
Other party officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed Mashaba was eyeing former DA mayor Mpho Phalatse as his plan B in the event he doesn’t cut a deal with Mazibuko. But he has denied this.
“No disrespect to her, but she does not make the cut. She would not make what I am looking for. She’s great as an MMC and did a fantastic job when she served on my mayoral committee, but really, as a mayor in my eyes? I don’t believe so.”
Phalatse had not responded to requests for comment at the time of publication.
Mashaba reiterated that he would make himself available to take on Zille should he not find a suitable candidate.
“I am still looking into it. Joburg is so important to this country that if I don’t find someone and my party agrees, I will stand myself. I am 66 years old; I thought, ‘Let me play a role from outside, fund the party and look for new leadership’. But with the state of Joburg as it is, if within the next few months I don’t find someone, I will do it myself.”
The ActionSA leader said he was looking for another Nasiphi Moya. Referring to the party’s Tshwane mayor, Mashaba said he was scouting for a “real patriot” who was committed to the country and believed in social justice.
“Dr Moya used to work in the city of Tshwane in a senior capacity. When we started ActionSA, we recruited her to come and work full-time for the party. Following the 2021 local government elections, we all of a sudden had 44 councillors in Joburg, 19 in Tshwane and 15 in Ekurhuleni.
“And these were not experienced councillors. We had to get Moya to train them, make them understand and interpret budgets and get accustomed to councils. That’s why, when the opportunity arose for us to take over the city of Tshwane, we knew we could not look any further than Dr Moya; she is really capable, hard-working, highly professional and really disciplined.
“I need someone who is not going to give preference to white communities and neglect black areas. Our people are not in Soweto and Alexandra because they want to be; they were forced into those places to supply cheap labour, which built this country.
“We are not going to wait for chance or what is called the market to get them out of there; we have deliberate government policies to give dignity to black people. This is something that made me unpopular in the ranks of the DA.”
On Saturday Mashaba revealed TV host Xolani Khumalo as his mayoral candidate for Ekurhuleni. Khumalo has a crime reality show showing him busting and exposing drug dealers, illegal foreigners and criminals. Mashaba said this move was crucial to his efforts to identify black excellence and use the talent and competence to serve the nation.
“He is deeply loved because of his bravery and commitment, and he despises those killing our people with drugs in our communities. He stands for the truth, and I am overexcited to have him as our candidate. If he can get that seat, he will clean up Ekurhuleni with the support of state power and make real change.”
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