ActionSA president Herman Mashaba has issued a blunt warning to his party’s public representatives: perform or be replaced. This comes after the party fired eight of its councillors in the City of Johannesburg, a move it attributes to a new, uncompromising focus on accountability.
The dismissed councillors, some of whom are reportedly pursuing legal action, have claimed their dismissal was unfair. Mashaba, however, is standing firm, framing the decision as a necessary purge to weed out underperformance.
From Council Seats to Selfies: The Reason for the Purge
Mashaba did not mince words when describing the behavior that led to the dismissals. He accused some councillors of being largely invisible to their constituents, only appearing for photo opportunities.
“We have councillors where the only time we see them is in council, when there is a party event or a by-election, they come there and just take selfies and do nothing,” Mashaba stated. “In some instances, these councillors do not even attend council meetings.”
To prevent a repeat, the party is rolling out a stringent performance management system for all its councillors nationwide. “They will be put on terms… where they have to achieve certain things,” he explained, confirming that Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been established.
The New Appointees: Activists Over Politicians
The eight new councillors appointed in Johannesburg were chosen specifically for their proven track record as community activists. Mashaba highlighted that these individuals are often unemployed activists who have already demonstrated commitment by launching party branches with hundreds of members.
“The advantage with these guys that we have just brought in is they have already opened branches with massive membership,” he said, contrasting their grassroots work with the perceived complacency of the previous office-bearers.
Gearing Up for 2026 with a Performance Filter
This shake-up is directly linked to ActionSA’s preparations for the 2026 local government elections. Mashaba made it clear that the performance reviews will directly determine who makes it onto the party’s candidate lists.
“By the time we finalise our list of ward candidates, it must be people who qualify in terms of meeting their KPIs,” he asserted. “We are not apologetic about this because once you are a councillor, you get paid with public money. You are there to represent society.”
The party expects its public representatives to be actively engaged in constituency work, thoroughly review council reports, and participate in party activities. Mashaba’s message is a calculated risk: he would rather be criticized for being too strict than be accused of tolerating the non-performance he associates with other political parties.
