Johannesburg — ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has positioned himself as the leading contender to become his party’s mayoral candidate for the City of Johannesburg ahead of the 2026 local government elections, party sources confirmed. The Central Candidate Selection Committee (CSC) is expected to finalise its choice this week, with an official announcement scheduled for 21 February.
Mashaba, a former Johannesburg mayor who led the city from 2016 to 2019, is among five senior ActionSA figures shortlisted for the nomination. The list includes party national chairperson Michael Beaumont, national spokesperson Lerato Ngobeni, MP Dereleen James, and Gauteng provincial chair Funzi Ngobeni. Each candidate has submitted detailed turnaround plans for Johannesburg and undergone vetting ahead of interviews with the selection committee.
The party has emphasised the gravity of the city’s challenges, pointing to years of service delivery failures, infrastructure decay, and leadership instability under previous administrations, including those from the African National Congress (ANC), Democratic Alliance (DA), and smaller parties. ActionSA leaders say the next mayor will need the ability to lead a complex coalition and instil confidence in residents frustrated by persistent water outages, power disruptions, and municipal dysfunction.
If confirmed as the nominee, Mashaba — who previously governed Johannesburg after breaking the ANC’s longstanding control — will re-enter the race to steer South Africa’s economic hub through deeply contested local elections.
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