SA Roasts Herman Mashaba After Expressing Willingness To Join GNU

• The president of ActionSA, Herman Mashaba, was slammed after he said he would serve South Africans well in the Government of National Unity
• Speculation of a cabinet reshuffle has been rife after the Democratic Alliance voted against the budget and ActionSA voted in favour of it
• South Africans called him a flip-flopper and accused him of looking out for his interests and not South Africans' interests

Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Johannesburg, South Africa, has covered policy changes, cabinet reshuffles, the State of the Nation Address, Parliament and Parliamentary committees, politician-related news and elections at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News for over seven years.

JOHANNEBURG — South Africans called ActionSA president Herman Mashaba a flip-flopper after he said he would represent South Africans' best interests if he were invited to join the Government of National Unity (GNU). This was after the budget vote prompted talks of a possible cabinet reshuffle following the Democratic Alliance voting against the African National Congress.

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What did Herman Mashaba say?

Mashaba said that he would accept the invitation to join the Government of National Unity and would serve South Africans' interests. In a recent interview with Newzroom Afrika, he talked about possibly working in the GNU.

The interview came days after ActionSA sided with the African National Congress (ANC) during the budget vote, which was passed on 2 April 2025. Mashaba reiterated statements he made on 1 April 2025 where he said he would accept a cabinet position if offered.

Mashaba slammed the Democratic Alliance (DA) and accused it of being vitriolic towards the ANC. Both ANC and DA are member parties of the Government of National Unity, formed in June 2024 after the 2024 general elections. He said he could not fathom why the ANC would continue to work with a party that disrespects it.

"I have personal business working with the DA. I left my business and served as a mayor, and I've never seen the dishonesty that I experienced in the three years I was with them because of our difference in policy direction to address the social injustices in this country," he said.

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What if ActionSA joins GNU?

Mashaba said he is waiting to see whether the president, Cyril Ramaphosa, will announce a new cabinet. He said ActionSA is open to sitting down and talking about participating in the GNU. He said Ramaphosa no longer has the power to reshuffle the cabinet due to being in a coalition government.

Mashaba's ActionSA has previously slammed the Government of National Unity and said the party would not join the coalition government. The party's national chairperson, Michael Beaumont, criticised the GNU 100 days after it was established. He called it an Instagram government and said it was not making any gains.

What did South Africans say?

Netizens commenting on The Citizen's Facebook post slammed him and were critical of his stance.

Frank MacBeath said:

"Proper turncoat, this one."

Bertus Ferreira said:

"ActionSA is a party of fools, opportunists and failed leaders. They only act in the best interests of their pockets."

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P chongo Chongo said:

"Mr Mashaba, just go make money. This is a strong statement telling us that politicians are just the same."

Charlie Baloyi said:

"Nothing is negotiated in the best interests of the people with the ANC."

Dante WaKurara said:

"Our brand new political chameleon."

Herman Mashaba slams Afrikaners who protested outside US embassy

In another article, Briefly News reported that Mashaba criticised Afrikaners who protested outside of the US embassy in February. The protest came after US president Donald Trump signed an executive order granting them refugee status.

Mashaba said those who protested were traitors who believed that the US government supersedes the South African constitution. South Africans had mixed reactions to his statements.

Source: Briefly News