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No national takeover just yet, Herman Mashaba is focused on winning top Gauteng metros

Herman Mashaba: 'Our focus is for an outright majority in Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni.'
Herman Mashaba: 'Our focus is for an outright majority in Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni.'
Image: Sunday Times

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba is not yet gunning for any major provinces, but wants to first secure an outright majority in Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane metros.

He was responding to former Gauteng premier Mbhazima Shilowa, who weighed in on Mashaba's national interim senate which was announced on Monday. ActionSA appointed its leadership at the weekend during its inaugural meeting.

Mashaba announced the appointment of former ANC MPs Dr Makhosi Khoza and Vytjie Mentor, who will lead the party in KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape respectively. Shilowa expressed reservations about whether Khoza and Mentor will pull enough support for the party in those provinces.

“Far be it for me to judge but Ms Mentor will not make any difference as leader in that province. Think same for the leader in KZN,” he said.

ActionSA said on Monday it was “considering” contesting other metros in 2021, including Nelson Mandela Bay, eThekwini and Cape Town.

“Our assessment will examine the growth in our ground structures in these municipalities as well as the response of prospective donors to get behind the campaign,” said Mashaba.

He said ActionSA is on a mission to become the alternative to the ANC. The party will challenge the Electoral Commission after it rejected ActionSA's registration as a political party. Mashaba had applied at the IEC last month after launching in August.

He said the decision was based on perceived similarities between ActionSA's logo and that of Party of Action (POA) which is registered with the commission.

“Our legal team, now bolstered with the inclusion of advocate Gill Benson, is adamant we will take this fight to the highest courts of our country if necessary. The full leadership team of ActionSA stands fully behind the appeal against the IEC's decision,” he said.

TimesLIVE


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