ActionSA president Herman Mashaba has welcomed the party’s performance in the 2026 Local Government Elections after it secured 54 wards across Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni, according to the party.
The announcement marks a significant development for the six-year-old party, which has been seeking to expand its support and strengthen its presence in Gauteng’s major metropolitan municipalities.
ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont confirmed the 54 ward victories during a media briefing on Thursday, 5 November.
The party has also recorded notable support across the three metros, polling at 16.8% in the City of Johannesburg, 22.4% in Tshwane and 16.29% in Ekurhuleni, according to figures reported by the party.
Beaumont said the results reflected the efforts made by ActionSA to mobilise voters and encourage participation in the elections.
He credited voters for the party’s performance, saying they had chosen to move away from political parties they believed had failed them.
“The people of South Africa deserve that credit. They have decided that it’s time to change their votes from political parties that have failed them over a very long time,” Beaumont said.
Mashaba chose party-building over a seat in Parliament
ActionSA’s latest performance comes after Mashaba made the decision not to take up one of the party’s six parliamentary seats following the 2024 National and Provincial Elections.
Instead, he and national chairperson Michael Beaumont stepped back from Parliament to concentrate on growing the party and preparing for the 2026 Local Government Elections.
At the time, Mashaba said he needed to focus on building ActionSA into a stronger political alternative.
The party had secured more than 630,000 votes in the 2024 elections, earning six seats in the National Assembly. Mashaba’s decision meant other party representatives, including Athol Trollip, would serve in Parliament while the leadership focused on organisational growth.
The decision was described by the party as a strategic move to strengthen its structures ahead of the local elections.
Support in townships and previously ANC-held areas
ActionSA has sought to expand its support in communities across Gauteng, including townships and areas where the ANC has traditionally enjoyed significant backing.
The party’s latest gains have been presented by its leadership as evidence that its grassroots campaign is gaining traction.
However, the party’s ward victories and its overall vote share are separate measures of electoral support. The 54 wards represent seats won, while the percentages reflect its share of votes in each of the three metropolitan municipalities.
The provisional Gauteng results dashboard also shows ActionSA among the leading parties in the province’s ward contests, although the figures continue to change as more voting districts are counted.
For ActionSA, the challenge now will be to translate its electoral gains into effective representation and service delivery in the communities where it has won support.
