ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has admitted he did not take Jacob Zuma and his MK Party seriously before the May 2024 elections, but the results proved him wrong.

“When the MK Party was launched, I honestly undermined and underestimated the influence of Jacob Zuma. I said, ‘No, this is not going to happen’,” Mashaba said in an interview with the public broadcaster.

ActionSA marked its fifth anniversary this weekend since its formation in 2020.

The 2024 election results, however, told a different story.

The African National Congress (ANC) secured 40.18% of the vote, translating to 159 seats in the National Assembly – a dramatic drop from its previous majority. 

The Democratic Alliance (DA) followed with 21.81% and 87 seats. Zuma’s MK Party made a strong debut with 14.58% of the vote and 58 seats, while the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) obtained 9.52% and 39 seats.

They were followed by the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) with 3.85% (17 seats), the Patriotic Alliance (PA) with 2.06% (9 seats), the Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) with 1.36% (6 seats), and ActionSA with 1.2%, also securing six seats.

Mashaba said one of the biggest reasons for ActionSA’s underperformance was its perceived alliance with the DA.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t realise how deeply black voters are scared of the DA. Our association with the DA – being seen as DA-lite – that’s probably what cost us. 

“I spoke to thousands of people across the country, and the reason they didn’t vote for us was because of that relationship,” he said.

He revealed that even Dr Mbahare Kekana, who has since joined ActionSA as deputy president of the party, had concerns about the party’s ties to the DA.

“When I announced our removal of the DA from SANGI, and began working with the ANC and EFF, that attracted Dr Kekana. It also brought 36 councillors from foreign service delivery to us.”

Mashaba said that ActionSA’s decision to exit the Multi-Party Charter (MPC), formerly known as the Moonshot Pact, stemmed from a lack of trust, especially regarding DA members allegedly considering a coalition with the ANC.

ActionSA formally withdrew from the pact on 6 June 2024, citing the betrayal of its founding principles. 

The MPC had been a pre-election agreement between opposition parties including the DA and ActionSA, aimed at unseating the ANC and EFF.

“So yes, absolutely, the Moonshot Pact cost us,” Mashaba admitted. 

“Do I regret it? At the time, no. South Africans were calling for political unity, and we thought we were doing the right thing. But the double-dealings of the DA made me uncomfortable. I never really trusted them, but my party said, ‘Let’s give it a try’. It cost us dearly. But at the end of the day, you wake up and move on.”

Despite its modest showing at the national level, Mashaba said that ActionSA has made significant inroads at a local level, especially in the North West province.

“We now have 22 councillors in the North West. There’s also a by-election in October in a municipality where we currently have five councillors,” he said.

Mashaba expressed pride in the party’s small but active parliamentary caucus, led by Athol Trollip.

“I told them: ‘You six, go and box like you’re 60.’ And they’ve done just that. Even the ANC and the Government of National Unity (GNU) are feeling the pressure from ActionSA.”

Mashaba reflected on his experience as Johannesburg mayor under the DA from 2016 until 2019.

He claimed the party was unwilling to prioritise service delivery in black communities.

“In 2021, we told the DA: we’ll give you our vote, but you must deliver services to the townships. But they weren’t interested. I had three years of experience as mayor with the DA, and they didn’t want me to serve poor black communities,” he said.

He also claimed that DA federal chairperson Helen Zille allegedly discussed collaborating with the ANC to pass a motion of no confidence against him.

“That was the beginning of ActionSA,” he said. “South Africans now have a credible alternative.”

The results of the 2024 national and provincial elections marked a seismic shift in South African politics. 

With 16,025,198 votes cast and a turnout of 58.61%, the ANC lost its parliamentary majority for the first time in 30 years, earning just 39.77% of the combined national and regional vote – down 71 seats from 2019.

Zuma’s MK Party became the third-largest in Parliament with 14.58%, largely drawing support from disgruntled ANC voters and left-leaning constituencies. 

It is now the largest party in KwaZulu-Natal, having secured 47% of the provincial vote, and is the official opposition both nationally and in the province.

The DA retained its position as the official opposition, though it fell short of its 30% target. 

The EFF lost support, receiving just over 9% of the vote, likely due to the MK Party’s impact on its traditional base.

Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the formation of the new Government of National Unity (GNU) nearly two months after the polls. 

The Cabinet, South Africa’s largest since the dawn of democracy, was finalised after protracted coalition negotiations.

The GNU now includes the ANC, DA, IFP, PA, FF Plus, the PAC, and the GOOD Party, among others.

IOL Politics

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