ActionSA Pours Cold Water Over Xolani Khumalo’s MMC Appointment

• ActionSA has distanced itself from a statement that announced that the Mayor of the City of Ekurhuleni is expected to reshuffle his mayoral committee, and ActionSA councillor Xolani Khumalo will be a part of it
• Khumalo rose to political prominence after he joined ActionSA as a councillor following his work in apprehending drug dealers on his show Sizok'thola
• The party's national chairperson, Michael Beaumont, clarified that the City offered ActionSA a portfolio andrejected it

With over seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News, Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist, offered insights into South African politics, national, provincial, and local governance, the Government of National Unity, political parties, and Parliament.

EKURHULENI — ActionSA has slammed allegations that Councillor Xolani Khumalo will be part of the mayoral committee after a statement circulated that Mayor of the City of Ekurhuleni, Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, appointed him as an MMC. The announcement went viral on 18 February 2026.

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ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont responded on his @ME_Beaumont X account shortly after the statement trended. He clarified that ActionSA was offered the By-Laws portfolio and slammed Xhakaza for wanting to relegate Khumalo to a writer of fines.

View his X tweet here:

ActionSA distances itself from the announcement

ActionSA released a statement in which it categorically distanced itself from the statement. Party president Herman Mashaba said that the party's position is that it would not lend credibility to an administration that has overseen the lawlessness and deterioration of service delivery.

Read the statement on X here:

What did the original statement say?

The Ekurhuleni statement stated that Khumalo will head the Community Services and By-Law Enforcement portfolio, according to Newzroom Afrika. Khumalo recently entered politics when he joined ActionSA and was sworn in as a councillor and announced as ActionSA's mayoral candidate in Ekurhuleni. He is well-known for being the presenter of the Moja Love show Sizok'thola, where he apprehends drug dealers in different communities across South Africa.

South Africans celebrate

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Netizens commenting on X were chuffed that he was appointed as MMC.

Bonke said:

"Xolani Khumalo is new to politics, but his name carries weight already."

StarLedi laughed.

"The EFF will wake up miserable today. They won't have any grounds to call him a vigilante since he now has EMPD (Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department) official authority to tackle crime."

Gubevu Maduna pointed out:

"Now he will have powers to make raids."

KwaKhanya clapped:

"Excellent choice. Can't wait to see him in action."

Molobedu celebrated:

"Just after I see something about xenophobes in Parliament, the ANC (African National Congress) bowed to the public's pressure and appoints our favourite. We are winning."

Monte Carlo said:

"Good morning. There's no need for breakfast this morning. Great news indeed."

Get Rich or Die Trying observed:

"The ANC has accepted that they have failed and there's no coming back."

Moipone took a jab at Economic Freedom Fighters National Spokesperson Sinawo Thambo, who recently criticised Khumalo, who was present at the fatal shooting of a Nigerian national during a drug bust in Randburg, Johannesburg, in early February.

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"Sinawo is not going to be happy about this."

Xolani Khumalo voluntarily surrenders to the police

In a related article, Briefly News reported that Khumalo handed himself over to the South African Police Service (SAPS) on 19 January 2026 after allegations surfaced that the police were looking for him in connection with an assault case. ActionSA members and supporters accompanied him.

ActionSA noted that Khumalo faced a false assault charge stemming from an incident in 2025 that involved a confessed drug dealer. The party's national chairperson, Michael Beaumont, said the alleged victim, who opened the case against Khumalo, was found with an unlicensed firearm. He accused the police of protecting criminals.

Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.

Source: Briefly News