Mashaba fires back over report claiming ActionSA wants Zille replaced in Joburg

Herman Mashaba has hit back at claims surrounding ActionSA's position on Helen Zille's Johannesburg mayoral ambitions.

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has publicly challenged a Sunday Times report about his party's position on Helen Zille's candidacy for Johannesburg mayor, accusing the publication of misleading its readers.

In a post on X on Sunday, Mashaba criticised the newspaper's reporting, saying it was contributing to the erosion of public trust in the media. He called for more responsible journalism and described the coverage as misinformation.

The controversy comes as ActionSA and the DA prepare for coalition negotiations following the local government elections. ActionSA has emerged as a significant player in Gauteng's three hung metropolitan municipalities, giving it considerable bargaining power in discussions over their future administrations.

The Sunday Times reported that ActionSA wanted the DA to reconsider Zille's candidacy in Johannesburg, with Mashaba being proposed for the position instead. However, Beaumont has indicated that his party is not ruling out an arrangement involving Zille, although it has serious reservations about her suitability.

With 99.9% of voting districts counted, the DA was comfortably ahead in the Joburg race on 34.8%, followed by the ANC on 20.3% and ActionSA on 16.3%. The DA made substantial gains compared with its 26.1% share in 2021, while the ANC fell from 33.6%. ActionSA, meanwhile, maintained its support at roughly 16%, leaving it in a potentially decisive position. MzansiData+1

However, neither party can simply dictate the terms of a deal. Johannesburg's council has 270 seats, with 136 required for a majority. Preliminary seat projections put the DA on 91 seats and ActionSA on 43, giving the two parties a combined 134 – just short of a governing majority. This means even an agreement between them could require support from another party.

Despite the tensions, DA Johannesburg mayoral candidate Helen Zille has indicated that she would favour a two-party coalition with either ActionSA or the ANC, arguing that fewer partners would make an administration easier to manage. ActionSA, meanwhile, has completed its first round of coalition discussions with the ANC, which it described as productive and respectful.