ActionSA names mayoral candidates in Limpopo for high-stakes elections

Masabata Mkwananzi|Published

ActionSA has unveiled its mayoral candidates across five Limpopo municipalities, signalling an aggressive push to expand its political footprint as parties gear up for a high-stakes local government election battle.

South Africans are set to head to the polls on November 4 for the local government elections, in what is expected to be a fiercely contested vote against worsening service delivery failures, collapsing infrastructure, and growing public frustration with municipalities.

ActionSA president and former Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba is also positioning himself at the centre of that battle, with plans to run for mayor of Johannesburg as the party seeks to reclaim key metros while making inroads in provinces like Limpopo.

Framing the announcement as a break from what he described as years of poor leadership, Mashaba said the party had selected candidates it believes are capable of restoring governance and accountability at local level.

“Today, ActionSA is proud to announce competent patriots across five municipalities in Limpopo that will contest the local government elections as mayoral candidates. They are Thapelo Molepo for Polokwane Local Municipality, Shobane Mafona for Molemole Local Municipality, Khwara Nengwekhulu for Collins Chabane Local Muncipality, Tonic Manchidi for Makhuduthamaga Local Municipality, and Victor Mothemela for Capricorn District Municipality. Their calibre of leadership demonstrates ActionSA’s commitment to remove corrupt leaders and replace them with patriotic leaders who will serve the people.”

He argued that the move forms part of a broader strategy to rebuild struggling municipalities and respond to growing public discontent.

“This marks a significant step in ActionSA advancing its plan to fix broken municipalities across South Africa. Now more than ever, citizens deserve service delivery that is effective and responsive. The growth of the Green Umbrella in Limpopo, and other provinces, signifies that the time for slogans and empty promises is over,” he said.

Mashaba placed strong emphasis on basic service delivery and law enforcement, positioning these as central to the party’s campaign message.

“ActionSA is unequivocal that when residents open their taps, water should flow without interruption. That our neighbourhoods have adequate streetlights, so that residents are safe. South Africans can hold ActionSA accountable to our commitment to ensure that law and order will be restored so that they can operate their businesses without the threat of illegal foreigners who use criminality for their businesses to flourish,” he added.

He pointed to the party’s role in governance in Tshwane as evidence of its approach in practice, saying its blueprint has delivered strong results under the leadership of Dr Nasiphi Moya and demonstrates how competent leadership can drive meaningful change, adding that a similar model could significantly improve the lives of residents in Limpopo.

With the election looming, Mashaba delivered a direct message to both candidates and voters saying residents are desperate for service delivery after more than 30 years of neglect and betrayal. The time has come to show what ActionSA does when residents give them the mandate to govern.

ActionSA reiterated that it is aiming to position itself as a credible alternative in municipalities it believes have been plagued by long-standing governance failures.

“ActionSA looks forward to realising dignity for all for residents of the municipalities in Polokwane, Molemole, Collins Chabane, Makhuduthamaga, and Capricorn through a decisive victory at the local government elections,” it said.

The Star

masabata.mkwananzi@inl.co.za