Herman Mashaba Accuses Sunday Times of Misleading Readers Over ActionSA’s Zille Demand

• ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba took to X to call out the Sunday Times over its report on coalition talks involving the DA and Helen Zille
• The Sunday Times reported that ActionSA demanded the DA drop Zille as its Johannesburg mayoral candidate following the 2026 local government elections
• South Africans were divided in their reactions, with some backing Mashaba's response and others accusing him of contradicting his own party's stated position

JOHANNESBURG — ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has publicly rebuked the Sunday Times over a report linking his party to demands that the Democratic Alliance drop Helen Zille as its Johannesburg mayoral candidate during post-election coalition negotiations.

Mashaba posted on X on 8 November 2026, calling the article misleading and accusing the publication of spreading misinformation.

"Please, stop misleading society and your readers. Show some respect. South Africans have lost faith in politicians. Let's have a media people can trust, not this misinformation carried in this article. Very unfortunate media reporting," he wrote.

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Coalition tensions after 2026 LGE

According to media reports, it stated that ActionSA had made it a non-negotiable condition for coalition talks that the DA replace Zille as its candidate for the top position in Johannesburg. The report also stated that ActionSA insisted its own leader, Nasiphi Moya, retain the mayoralty in Tshwane.

The DA, which emerged as the largest party in Johannesburg, Tshwane, and Ekurhuleni following the 2026 elections, has stood by Zille and maintained that the biggest party in a coalition should determine who becomes mayor. DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis has also reportedly explored broader multi-party arrangements, including a Government of National Unity-style model that could involve the ANC, rather than accommodating ActionSA's demands.

The friction between Mashaba and Zille has a long history. Mashaba served as DA mayor of Johannesburg from 2016 to 2019 before resigning amid mutual accusations, partly linked to disagreements over the party's relationship with the EFF.

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See the X post below:

Public reaction split over Mashaba's post

Mashaba's X rebuke drew sharp and conflicting responses online. Some users backed his stance, with @Olivia_LaGrange writing:

"The media has been against you since the previous elections. We all know the DA pays most of them to spread their psyops."

Others were sceptical. @TheKiffness wrote,

"Oh, so you DO want @helenzille as Jo'burg's mayoral candidate? Great to see you showing some maturity 👏🏼."

@JoyLethabo8 questioned the consistency of his position, noting,

"I thought I heard you on Newzroom saying you will not with Helen Zille🤔😂 haai."

@SportNStuff was more direct:

"Have you missed what your ActionSA leaders have been saying? Sunday Times is 100% correct here. You changing your tune😂."

@AVH challenged Mashaba's framing:

"You're absolutely right. South Africans have lost faith in politicians. But here's a thought: aren't you a politician yourself? Or do you somehow believe you're exempt from the very criticism you're directing at everyone else?"

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@chrisfvz was blunter still:

"You are the reason why people have lost faith in many politicians. You lie, you backstab and you act like a spoilt brat when things don't go your way."

More on ActionSA and the 2026 LGE

• Briefly News recently reported on Gareth Cliff congratulating Herman Mashaba on ActionSA’s strong election showing, especially in early Gauteng township counts.
• An EFF branch treasurer was stabbed to death near a Polokwane voting station on election day, and police arrested a 35-year-old suspect.
• Cliff also said ActionSA’s illegal immigration message was “heard loud and clear” in Gauteng after the party outperformed the DA in key urban areas.

Source: Briefly News