ActionSA Opens Coalition Talks With ANC and EFF After Local Government Elections

• ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont described initial talks with the ANC as productive, with discussions with the EFF centring on service delivery
• ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba outlined conditions for potential coalition talks with the DA, including demands around key party figures
• A North-West University professor analysed how seat distributions in Gauteng metros shape ActionSA's negotiating leverage

GAUTENG — ActionSA has opened coalition negotiations with the African National Congress and the Economic Freedom Fighters following the 2026 Local Government Elections, as the party works to convert its municipal seats into governing influence across Johannesburg, Tshwane, and Ekurhuleni. Scheduled meetings with the Democratic Alliance and the uMkhonto weSizwe party are still pending.

According to The Citizen, ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont described the opening round of talks with the ANC as productive, characterising them as grounded in principles of stable government. Separate discussions with the EFF centred on service delivery priorities.

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Mashaba sets terms for DA engagement

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba asserted that his party holds decisive influence in the current round of coalition negotiations. Speaking on potential discussions with the DA, Mashaba attached conditions to any such engagement, among them the removal of DA federal council chairperson Helen Zille. Under the framework he outlined, ActionSA would take up deputy positions, Nasiphi Moya would retain the mayoral seat in Tshwane, the DA would govern Ekurhuleni, and Cilliers Brink would be removed from his position.

Seat math shapes ActionSA's strategy

North-West University professor Joseph Sekhampu noted that the seat distributions across Gauteng's three metros place ActionSA in a strategically significant position. In Johannesburg, the combined DA and ActionSA tally of 134 seats falls two short of the 136 required for a majority. In Ekurhuleni, their combined total of 106 seats is seven below the 113-seat threshold.

By contrast, a bloc bringing together the ANC, ActionSA, the EFF, and the MK party would command majority seats across all three metros, giving ActionSA considerable room to manoeuvre.

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Sekhampu cautioned, however, that ActionSA's leverage depends on keeping several negotiation routes open simultaneously. Should the DA and ANC reach a direct agreement, they could together form majorities in the metros without ActionSA's participation, potentially reducing the party's bargaining position considerably.

ActionSA gains 12 wards from ANC in Tshwane

In a related article, Briefly News reported on ActionSA’s gains in Tshwane, where the party moved into second place as local election results came in.

The party reportedly won 12 wards previously held by the ANC, while early tallies put it just behind the DA across the city.

Source: Briefly News