ActionSA Unveils Mayoral Candidates for Metros

15 June 2021

Today, ActionSA revealed 9 candidates who will contests our candidate elections in order to represent ActionSA as aspirant mayors in the coming local government elections for the metros of Johannesburg, Tshwane, and Ekurhuleni.

This is the culmination of our ground-breaking Candidate Election System.

These candidates have emerged from our transparent candidate nomination process and are proud South Africans, from all walks of life, who are committed to fighting for the wellbeing of residents in their cities.

In Johannesburg, our top three candidates vying for the top job are Suraya Holt, Lincoln Machaba and Herman Mashaba.

Suraya Holt, is deeply committed to ensuring that Johannesburg affords every resident the opportunity to lead a prosperous life. Suraya wants to focus on getting the basics of service delivery right while taking special focus on caring for women and children. Suraya, who is no stranger to politics, also has experience as a sales professional and entrepreneur in her own right. Suraya wants to focus on improving oversight within the City and bringing residents on board as partners is strengthening the city’s economic prospects.

Thirty year old Lincoln Machaba, the youngest candidate, is a former Councillor in the City of Joburg, who is passionate about getting youth involved in transforming their own communities. Lincoln is also an avid member of the ActionSA National Youth Advisory Council.

Herman Mashaba, ActionSA President, is a seasoned entrepreneur who founded Black Like Me and is the former City of Joburg Mayor (2016-2019). For Herman, running for mayor is about ensuring that the gains made in providing services to residents are not further eroded by the ANC. Once in office, Herman would once again focus on ensuring quality service delivery by professionalising the civil service, ending the corruption which plagues the City and using government to create a conducive environment for investment which creates an inclusive local economy.

The top three candidates contesting for the top spot in Ekurhuleni are Lerato Ngobeni, Letlhogonolo Moseki and Eleanor Moropa.

Lerato Ngobeni, current ActionSA National Spokesperson and member of the Senate, is a communications afficionado. Prior to joining ActionSA, Lerato was with the Harvard University Center for African Studies. Lerato believes that she can deliver to the people of Ekurhuleni, a public service which is professional and people-centred. If elected, Lerato would be the first female mayor of Ekurhuleni office. Lerato hope that her running will inspire other women to run for office.

Letlhogonolo Moseki is also communications expert with government experience garnered from the City of Ekurhuleni. As part of his agenda, Letlhogonolo will focus on poverty alleviation initiatives throughout the Ekurhuleni with a keen focus on youth development and creating an environment for new businesses to thrive.

Eleanor Moropa, a Social Development Practitioner, has deep roots in Ekurhuleni working to better the lives of residents in her community. If elected, Eleanor would focus her attention on ensuring the people of Ekurhuleni are safe with more services dedicated to upholding the rule of law.

In Tshwane our top three candidates are Morris Mahlaule, Mmaphefo Shubane and Abel Tau.

Abel Tau is the former Acting Mayor of Tshwane (2019-2020) and former MMC for Utility Services in the same municipality. Prior to that Abel was a Superintendent (Locomotive Maintenance) at Transnet and is well versed in matters of maintenance. Abel believes that Tshwane has been dismally failed by the three DA Mayors over the past 5 years, notwithstanding the failure of the ANC in the preceding era. Financial management in the City has collapsed, infrastructure has deteriorated and services have become non – existent. With his past experience, Abel believes that he has the skills needed to turn the City around.

Morris Mahlaule is a consummate business professional which has thrown his hat into the political ring. Morris wants to focus on ending the mismanagement that has bleed away the resources needed to ensure the delivery of services, public safety and initiatives to reduce poverty.

Mmaphefo Shubane has a background in Community Broadcasting and was previously a Multi-Sectoral Team Leader working in HIV & AIDS awareness.

All nine of these candidates have met the high watermark of securing the support of at least 500 voters in their municipality, in compliance with our revolutionary Direct Democracy process. Whilst they may be competing, all of our candidates are united in their resolve to ensure that the ANC is removed from power.

Unlike all our political opponents, we have opened our process, publicly presenting our prospective candidates beforehand, allowing voters to elect their preferred candidates.

On 26 June 2021, we will host our Candidate Elections, allowing residents to elect leaders who best represent them. African politics and our electoral system can only be stronger for this revolutionary change that we are practicing.

Our platform is still open for South Africans who would like to participate as voters in the process by visiting vote.actionsa.org.za.

Statement issued by Michael Beaumont, ActionSA National Chairman, 15 June 2021