ActionSA has shortlisted candidates for Johannesburg mayor in what the party described as high stakes bid to address years of service delivery challenges, with the final announcement set for Saturday, February 21.
The party said it undertook a thorough process, engaging its structures and assessing leaders on their ability to tackle the city’s ongoing service delivery crisis and restore effective governance.
Previously, The Star reported that ActionSA opened nominations to find a leader capable of addressing Johannesburg’s deepening challenges. The party stressed the process would be competitive and transparent, aimed at selecting a candidate with the experience and leadership needed to manage the city’s complex coalition politics.
“It was at Mashaba’s request that an open nomination process be pursued to ensure that the party considers all possible options for a credible candidate to lead Johannesburg,” ActionSA National Chairperson Michael Beaumont said.
Although nominations closed in November 2025, calls continue for party leader Herman Mashaba to return as ActionSA’s Johannesburg mayoral candidate.
He also said the nomination process comes at a critical moment for Johannesburg residents.
Each candidate has submitted detailed turnaround plans, undergone security vetting, and demonstrated the leadership required to manage Johannesburg’s complex challenges, Beaumont said.
The leaders on the shortlist include Herman Mashaba, Michael Beaumont, Lerato Ngobeni MP, Dereleen James MP, and Funzi Ngobeni MPL, who will be interviewed by the Central Candidate Selection Committee (CSC) on Monday, February 16, before the final decision is made.
Beaumont stressed that the candidates had been engaged by the party and obliged the request to make themselves available following extensive consultation, engagement, and vetting.
“The candidates have submitted presentations outlining turnaround plans for Johannesburg, have undergone security vetting and will participate in this interview phase tomorrow evening, after which final deliberations will lead to a decision,” he said.
The party said it is deeply mindful of the state of Johannesburg and the total collapse of service delivery under successive mayors from the ANC, DA, and smaller parties. Beaumont added: “The revolving door of leadership in the city has been matched only by a complete apathy as Johannesburg has stumbled from one disaster to another, leaving residents in the dark, both literally and figuratively, about how the collapse will be reversed.”
He emphasised that ActionSA is clear any chosen candidate will be required to lead a complex coalition in running a city that its leaders have a proven track record of fixing in the past.
The Star