Herman Mashaba Offers to Step Aside as Johannesburg Mayoral Candidate in DA Deal
- ActionSA president Herman Mashaba wrote to DA federal leader Geordin Hill-Lewis, proposing a significant shift in coalition negotiations
- Mashaba's proposal involves both he and Helen Zille withdrawing as mayoral candidates in Johannesburg to end the political deadlock
- ActionSA chairperson Michael Beaumont confirmed the letter exists but expressed disappointment that its contents were leaked to the media
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GAUTENG — ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has offered to step down from competing for Johannesburg's top civic post, suggesting the Democratic Alliance (DA) keep the mayoralty to unlock stalled coalition talks across Gauteng's major cities. The offer was detailed in correspondence sent to DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis after a call between the pair on 7 November, three days after the 2026 Local Government Elections took place.
According to Sunday Times, the plan requires Mashaba and former Cape Town mayor Helen Zille to step aside from the Johannesburg leadership contest, allowing the DA to choose a fresh candidate with ActionSA's backing. ActionSA would instead secure the deputy mayor role in the economic hub. In Tshwane, Mashaba requested that DA nominee Cilliers Brink relinquish his council post and that the DA put forward a deputy acceptable to ActionSA, while endorsing ActionSA’s Dr Nasiphi Moya for mayor.
Herman Mashaba addresses coalition negotiations with the DA
Mashaba explained that these measures aim to foster a clean slate for talks, unburdened by past political feuds. He admitted that historical friction has damaged trust, but argued that past rivalries should not block solutions for local communities. While DA insiders questioned the motive behind the terms, ActionSA chairman Michael Beaumont validated the letter's authenticity, expressing frustration over media leaks during sensitive negotiations.
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Herman Mashaba slams publication
In a related article, Briefly News reported on Herman Mashaba’s dispute with the Sunday Times over its report on ActionSA’s demands during coalition talks involving Helen Zille.
The report described replacing Zille as a non-negotiable condition, while Mashaba called the coverage misleading. South Africans were divided over whether his response aligned with his party’s stated position.
Source: Briefly News
