ActionSA tests the waters in iLembe as Mashaba aims guns at eThekwini

Herman Mashaba is hell-bent on rooting out corruption.

“Corruption is public enemy number one,” he declared at the packed ActionSA business breakfast at Coco De Mer Boutique Hotel in Ballito last week with about 150 people attending.

The former city of Johannesburg DA mayor launched the political party in August last year.

Ballito pastor and former chairman of the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) provincial executive, Nel Sewraj has joined the party as iLembe region executive while his wife and community activist, Michelle Sewraj has been elected as ActionSA’s regional campaign manager.

Mashaba said ActionSA will be contesting Ethekwini municipality in the upcoming 2021 local government elections.

Asked whether he would consider throwing his party’s name into the ring for KwaDukuza municipality, Mahsaba said they were concentrating on the big metros that were strategic in nature and where they would win.

“This is the mistake that many new political parties make. They have contested all 278 municipalities as new parties with only months to prepare for elections, with the unambitious outcome of gaining a councillor here and there.”

He added the amount of funding the party receives will determine how many municipalities it would eventually contest.

Former ANC MP Dr Makhosi Khoza will lead party operations in KwaZulu-Natal.

Mashaba said his party’s fundamental task was to provide a new alternative for South Africans – one that inspires hope again. He affirmed his party’s commitment to non-racism, with its efforts dedicated to growing SA’s economy.

“It is not something that we are prepared to negotiate, we want a political party that must push and drive to create a non-racial society. Racism diminishes the equality and worth of South Africans and sets us back in our progress. It has no place in this party and it has no place in our country.”

Mashaba, 61, who describes himself as an “unapologetic capitalist” is best known for founding the hugely successful iconic hair brand, Black Like Me in 1985.

As one of South Africa’s earliest black entrepreneurs who built a successful business during the restrictive days of apartheid, the self-made millionaire said his party had an economic recovery plan which he believes could help propel the country’s bankrupt economy.

In 2016, Mashaba was appointed Democratic Alliance (DA) mayor of the Johannesburg metro. During his 3-year tenure he was praised for being decisive and speaking out on pertinent issues such as job creation.

He cut over R2 billion in wasteful expenditure and directed it towards electricity, roads, water, housing and transport.

He resigned at the end of 2019, and left the DA. Mashaba said his values no longer aligned with the official opposition as certain members seemed uninterested in unseating the ruling party.

Mashaba said reforming the police featured high on his new party’s agenda and he vowed to re-establish the now-defunct Scorpions to fight corruption.

“In my 3 years as mayor of Johannesburg, I established a world class anti-corruption unit with many of the people who were sidelined from the Scorpions, NPA, and Hawks for doing their job a little too effectively. This unit relentlessly pursued corruption, investigated over 6 000 cases worth R35 billion and affected over 800 arrests.”

The trade unions are also in his sights with Mashaba taking aim at “rigid” labour legislation that enables unions to control the economy.