The race for control of Johannesburg’s mayoral chains just got a whole lot more interesting. Herman Mashaba, the former mayor and leader of ActionSA, has officially thrown his hat into the ring, setting up a potential blockbuster showdown with DA federal council chair Helen Zille.
The announcement transforms the contest into what analysts are calling a “Helen versus Herman” battlea clash of political heavyweights with significant governance experience and fierce personal history.
The Contenders
Mashaba served as DA mayor of Johannesburg from 2016 to 2019 before resigning from both the office and the party. He launched ActionSA in 2020 and has since positioned himself as a formidable opposition figure. His tenure is widely credited with improving service delivery and insourcing workers, earning him a loyal following.
Zille, a former DA federal leader and Western Cape premier, brings decades of governance experience. She has successfully maintained DA control in Cape Town with consistently positive audit outcomes, and her current role as federal council chair gives her significant influence.
‘The Worst News the DA Can Hear’
Independent analyst Goodenough Mashego delivered a blunt assessment: “Herman Mashaba is going to be the next mayor of Joburg. The fact he is coming back is the worst news the DA can hear.”
Mashego argued that without Mashaba in the race, “it should have been a slam dunk for Zille,” who is stronger than any candidate the ANC could field. But Mashaba’s entry changes everything.
“The DA would have hoped the ActionSA leader would not join the race. The DA, known for its clean administration record wherever it has governed, should be concerned.”
ANC Out of the Running?
Both analysts were dismissive of the ANC’s chances. Mashego said replacing current mayor Dada Morero with Loyiso Masuku “would not improve the ANC’s prospects.” Masuku remains relatively unknown outside the party.
“The ANC’s days of running Johannesburg are over. It means in Johannesburg, as in Cape Town, the ANC will never be able to govern again,” Mashego said.
Analyst Khanyi Magubane agreed: “I don’t think the ANC is going to put up any name that holds the same weight. I don’t think there’s anyone the ANC can propose, not Loyiso Masuku nor Dada Morero, who can stand head and shoulder against Herman and Helen.”
Coalition Calculus
Mashaba’s previous tenure saw him work effectively with the EFF, a relationship that could prove crucial. “The EFF will support him because they knew him as he worked well with them during his tenure,” Mashego noted. “The MK party and other parties would tolerate Mashaba as mayor because of his experience running the city.”
Magubane predicted a DA/ActionSA coalition with majority control: “I think there will be a majority shareholder in a DA/ActionSA coalition, with ANC and other parties at their mercy to join the coalition.”
The Zille Factor
Despite Zille’s formidable credentials, Mashego offered a provocative suggestion: “The best the DA could do now is to pull Zille from the race to avoid embarrassment and tarnishing her legacy in Cape Town, and get someone else to contest the race.”
Magubane acknowledged Zille’s strength: “I do think Helen sees Herman as a worthy opponent. It was under the DA that Mashaba was the first DA mayor and Helen herself has been the premier of the Western Cape, so she understands power.”
Mashaba’s Challenge
Mashego warned Mashaba that winning requires more than popularity. “To be accepted by all sides, he must set aside his ego and collaborate with various parties to become everyone’s mayor.”
Mashaba can also capitalise on the success of ActionSA Tshwane mayor Nasiphi Moya, the party’s ace card, to encourage voters to support him.
The Bottom Line
The Johannesburg mayoral race is no longer a predictable contest. It is a high-stakes battle between two political titans with competing visions, overlapping support bases, and a shared history.
For Mashaba, it’s a chance to reclaim the office he once held and prove ActionSA’s national relevance. For Zille, it’s an opportunity to expand the DA’s reach into the country’s economic heartland. And for Johannesburg’s long-suffering residents, it’s a rare moment of political excitementand a genuine prospect of change.
The only certainty? The ANC, once dominant, is now a spectator in its own stronghold.
