Dear Actioneers,
The year 2024 presented us with an opportunity to participate in our inaugural National and Provincial elections. Through our activists’ and structural leaders’ dedication, ActionSA was able to garner three seats in the Provincial Legislature.
We currently hold the position of Chairperson for The Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA), a critical committee tasked with scrutinising the financial expenditure of taxpayers’ money, ensuring transparency and accountability. These achievements are no small accomplishment.
ActionSA Gauteng launched two remarkable initiatives – Gauteng Listening Tours and Unfiltered SA Conversations: Action Speaks podcast – both aimed at engaging communities and discussing their pertinent issues.
As we begin the new year, we do so with renewed vigour and commitment galvanized by issues that our MPLs have been able to raise and what we have been to achieve in the Gauteng Legislature.
I wish to express gratitude to all former structural leaders who upheld the fort and welcome the new structural leaders who will help guide the party forward. I further wish to thank all party members for their contributions to the growth of the party in the province.
As we continue to drive our membership growth, please remember to re-register on the new ActionSA membership system and assist those without the means to do so. Membership booklets are available in regions to aid members who prefer to pay their membership fees in cash. The work of rebuilding our branches has taken form and is advancing.
Kind regards,
Funzi Ngobeni MPL
Gauteng Provincial Chairperson
EKURHULENI
The visit by ActionSA Member of Parliament and Member of the Transport Portfolio Committee, Malebo Kobe MP, to conduct an oversight visit with Ekurhuleni Regional Chairperson Phillip Dolo at the Daveyton Train Station as part of October Transport Month highlighted numerous challenges. Chiefly, the sheer extent of the rail station’s decay has left many residents with the burden of high transport costs. ActionSA has taken this matter up to the National Assembly to find solutions for the benefit of residents.
ActionSA’s KwaThema Police Station oversight visit revealed a derelict and under-resourced station in a state of disrepair resembling an apocalyptic scene. Importantly, a key aspect of the dilapidated state of the station was that the property is owned by the City of Ekurhuleni, and recently, the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure indicated that they had written to the Ekurhuleni City Manager and the matter is now to be tabled in council to facilitate the transfer of the property, thereby enabling the necessary refurbishments and upgrades. To combat the escalating crime, the South African Police Service must be equipped with the requisite resources to effectively discharge their duties.
ActionSA Parliamentary Chief Whip and #Spaza4Locals Queen, Lerato Ngobeni, engaged some Tembisa entrepreneurs as part of the region’s #Spaza4locals campaign. The local business owners highlighted numerous challenges they faced, particularly from spaza shops owned by foreign nationals. ActionSA has championed the call for spaza shops to be reserved for local residents since before the May elections. Given the numerous incidents of foodborne illnesses and fatalities, it appears that our urgent call is finally being heeded.
ActionSA put on enough pressure for the NCOP Members, MEC for Human Settlements and Human Settlements Portfolio Committee to finally visit Rand West to conduct oversight on incomplete projects. Of particular concern was the Montrose Mega Project which has cost the taxpayers over R11 billion since its inception in 2017 until 2023 when it was abandoned. Despite this astronomical expenditure, the buildings appear dilapidated and have become a haven for lawlessness. The Montrose Mega project was initially slated for discontinuation due to contractors withdrawing, but with pressure from ActionSA a new contractor is being appointed.
ActionSA Women’s Forum conducted oversight at various clinics and creches to see service delivery challenges and shortcomings. Issues that were identified were:
Certain issues were escalated to the Provincial Legislature, whilst others were promptly addressed with staff and resolved.
JOHANNESBURG
Joburg Region hosted the unveiling of ActionSA’s first electoral poster at the Carlton Centre. The selection of the venue was pivotal, as it symbolised the decline of South Africa under the ruling party over the past three decades, and their failure to fulfil the promise of a better life for all. Formerly the jewel of the Johannesburg city centre, hosting a renowned five-star hotel that welcomed many celebrities, the Carlton Centre has now become a shadow of its former self, surrounded by rising crime and the proliferation of shops owned by undocumented foreign nationals.
Joburg activists have played a crucial role in assisting community members with water-related issues in their respective areas, particularly in Coronationville, Westdene, Fleurhof and Northriding.
The return of activists from Soweto who had left the party after the 2021 LGE has been a significant milestone in the region and signifies ActionSA’s commitment to rewarding exceptional groundwork that promotes the party.
We continue to mobilise our structures to ensure the party’s growth en route to 2026.
Lesedi witnessed the greatest turnout for the Gauteng Listening Tours thus far, where numerous residents expressed their concerns regarding the allocation of RDP houses to beneficiaries. Some residents who had applied for RDP houses in the 1990s, for instance, found it strange that children born after they had applied had received houses before them. There are also allegations of RDP beneficiaries originating from outside the designated areas. Our MPL in the Human Settlements Portfolio Committee is busy with this bizarre turn of events and will revert to residents as soon as we receive a response from the Executive.
An oversight visit was conducted at the public facilities where construction has stalled. ActionSA continues to monitor such projects and seek ways to put pressure on the Gauteng Provincial Government, so as to hold them accountable for public spending.
Despite resource challenges, 90% of VDs in Lesedi were staffed during the 2024 elections.
There were two critical oversight visits that were conducted. One at the Boipatong Old Age Home, where the building meant to house the elderly is dilapidated and in a state of decay whilst taxpayers’ money was paid to the contractor. We have requested the Premier’s Office for answers as the Department of Infrastructure claimed to have no knowledge of this development.
Another was at the Sebokeng Hospital, where we had received numerous complaints of poor service, staff shortages and inadequate equipment. Strangely, we were denied entry to conduct our legislative duty of oversight by the hospital management, purportedly at the instruction of the Health MEC. We have written to the Speaker of the Legislature about this and await her response with bated breath.
MERAFONG
Led by Gauteng Provincial Chairperson, Funzi Ngobeni, the Regional leadership and ActionSA activists visited various sites where sinkholes appeared in Khutsong earlier this year. A sinkhole garnered media attention as it emerged beneath Relebogile High-School, necessitating its temporary closure.
Various party activities were held in areas such as Deelkraal, Khutsong and Carletonville to raise brand awareness and recruit members.
A strategic meeting was held with MPL deployed to the area, Funzi Ngobeni, to stabilize the region and intensify party’s effectiveness in the region.
TSHWANE
Residents of Mamelodi who were victims of floods between 2019 and 2022 endured the indignity of residing in a community hall for years. The rehabilitation of the land and allocation of over 5 000 plots to these residents was a significant triumph in restoring their dignity. Furthermore, it is reassuring that once relocated, the households will receive fundamental water and sewer services. Bulk services will also be planned for the area in the future as well.
Two crucial motions were passed in council which ActionSA had been championing since 2021. The inner-city rejuvenation – which has already seen affordable housing being developed in the CBD – and the insourcing of cleaners, with the insourcing of security officers and waste pickers soon to follow, have been major milestones for us and these motions demonstrate what we can do if we are given an opportunity to govern.
ActionSA has led the fight for school vendors, who lost their income during the ban on food sales in and around school premises, to be compensated by the Department of Education. The MEC’s response to our question was less than satisfactory, and we have written to him to demand a clear explanation of whether these vendors, who are mostly elderly, will be compensated for the loss of income.
Our SCOPA Chairperson, John Moodey MPL, has been at the vanguard of condemning wasteful and fruitless expenditures by various provincial departments as well as the dearth of accountability to those not adhering to PFMA regulations.
Our #Spaza4Locals campaign has been promoted throughout the province and received a boost when the governing party’s Secretary-General called on the government to preserve spaza shops and small businesses for locals. This represents a triumph for local entrepreneurs, the jobless and our sluggish economy. However, we anticipate concrete action.
Whilst our numbers may not be as substantial as we would have preferred, the impact ActionSA has made over the past few months in the Provincial Legislature has been praiseworthy and heartening.
As a constructive opposition, ActionSA Joburg Caucus ensured that every motion brought to council was clearly outlined before being voted on, as was evident with the AFD loan.
The removal of now fraud accused former Executive Mayor, Cllr Kabelo Gwamanda, was because of an unrelenting stance taken by our Caucus to get leadership that will take the City of Joburg forward.
The biggest turning point was when the party gained positions of Speaker, S79 Committee Chairpersons for Finance and Environment and Infrastructure Services Development (EISD), a move that reaffirmed our commitment to reinforce accountability whilst we continue with our oversight role.
The Speaker has taken charge and played a pivotal role in overseeing the Executive. She has also led the inspection of spaza shops following the foodborne illnesses and deaths that erupted in the latter months of 2024.
The adoption of ActionSA’s Inner City Rejuvenation Motion was also a major milestone since this has been prominently highlighted in our Manifesto.
The Caucus undertook several Oversight visits, which resulted in some of the raised issues being promptly addressed by the Executive, to the benefit of our communities. This has reinforced our commitment to FIXING Joburg.
TSHWANE
ActionSA witnessed its Executive Deputy Mayor elected as the Executive Mayor of the Capital City, a pioneering achievement for the four-year old party. We also succeeded in securing positions as Members of the Mayoral Committee for Community Safety and Corporate and Shared Services.
Since being elected, the Executive Mayor and her MMCs have travelled the length and breadth of Tshwane to ensure service is delivered to all residents equitably and satisfactorily.
Tshwane Mayoral Imbizos were initiated to engage communities across all regions and address their concerns. This has proven to be pivotal as it has attracted scores of residents and helped elevate ActionSA’s political stature.
Whilst awaiting the completion of the Hammanskraal water project, it was heartening to see the Council write off over R600 million in water-related debt. Residents could not reasonably be expected to pay for water they could not utilise nor access. Whilst water remains a concern in certain areas, ActionSA remains steadfastly committed to ensuring the residents of Tshwane receive clean, potable water as a matter of utmost urgency, irrespective of their location.
EKURHULENI
ActionSA in Ekurhuleni led a vigorous campaign against the then Executive Mayor, Cllr Sivuyile Ngodwana, who like Gwamanda came from a small political party. It was evident he lacked the capability to govern and was significantly influenced by the EFF. That Motion Of No Confidence (MONC) laid the foundation for creating new, stable governments in Gauteng’s metros and forced the ANC to re-look the policy of installing Mayors from minority parties.
We also, simultaneously, spearheaded a campaign against the EFF Gauteng Chair and then MMC for finance Cllr Dunga, who was embroiled in the “blue light crash” scandal as well as his appointment of a major security tender, revealing the EFF’s lack of will to implement insourcing. That campaign culminated in the new Executive Mayor Xhakaza removing him as the MMC for finance, a significant political defeat for the EFF in Ekurhuleni and a victory for the residents of Ekurhuleni.
ActionSA in Ekurhuleni persisted in driving major campaigns centred on insourcing security guards and cleaners. A significant event in Boksburg witnessed President Herman Mashaba addressing over 2000 security guards and cleaners, where we outlined our plans to achieve insourcing in Ekurhuleni.
This was manifested in the long-delayed institutional review, where HR and the Executive finally devised concrete plans to commence insourcing more workers, rather than the perpetual haggling over which political parties would see their preferred company secure lucrative tenders. The City formulated plans to develop internal capacity for security services, cleaning services and solid waste, culminating in the recruitment process for security guards, cleaners and waste workers. A resounding victory for frontline workers and a positive outcome for our unwavering call for insourcing across all spheres of government.
ActionSA wrote numerous letters to the Executive Mayor imploring him to priotise key service delivery issues, and he responded favourably and actioned; Energy, Water, maintenance of infrastructure and Collection of Waste.
ActionSA spearheaded crucial service delivery campaigns, highlighting the failures of the City of Ekurhuleni to provide water, sanitation and energy. Campaigns in Snake Park led to the re-installation of a substation which restored power after over a month of negotiations between the City and residents regarding their accounts. We also championed the restoration of water in Tsakane and the far East Rand where forgotten communities went for weeks without water, and our campaigns garnered the attention of major news networks.
YOUTH FORUM
Inspired by President Herman Mashaba and Provincial Chairperson, Funzi Ngobeni, Gauteng Youth Forum reinvigorated the Aresebetseng concept. It was, aptly, themed the Aresebetseng Youth Clean-up campaign, visiting different regions to clean whilst engaging with fellow young people on the streets.
The Leadership Series “Empowering the Next Generation of Leaders” was launched as an initiative to help young people to engage with their leaders at various levels, and leaders to share their experiences with the youth. The first guests were the Provincial Secretary, Evelyn Mondlana, and the Ekurhuleni Chief Whip of Caucus, Clarise De Lange. Tshwane’s Executive Mayor, Dr Nasiphi Moya, made a surprising yet very welcome appearance.
After a media expose revealed that Shoprite Group on their 60 sixty app hired more foreign nationals as their delivery drivers, we wrote to the Group CEO demanding answers, to which he responded, though not satisfactorily. We shall continue to follow up on this matter until justice is served for the South African youth.
DISABILITY FORUM
ActionSA Disability Forum celebrated National Disability Month in collaboration with Zollyhood Radio from 3rd November until 3rd December in Brits. The event was organised by the Gauteng Disability Forum Chairperson, where an assistive device in the form of a wheelchair was donated by Kgosi Kwena Mangope and presented by President Mashaba. Furthermore, clothes and sanitary packages were donated to the less privileged, and 38 new members were recruited. The event concluded by celebrating International Disability Day on 3rd December.
WOMEN’S FORUM
The forum successfully hosted the annual Power of Prayer event in Johannesburg. This gathering saw attendance from various church leaders who came together to share in prayer and inspiration. The event highlighted the importance of spiritual support and unity within our communities.
On National Women’s Day in August, we organised a high tea event in Pretoria. This event brought together influential women who addressed delegates on diverse topical issues. The discussion provided a platform for sharing knowledge, experiences and solutions to challenges faced by women in our society.
ActionSA Women’s Forum conducted a GBV campaign across various regions, where members visited police stations to check for compliance and advocate for better practices. This campaign emphasised our dedication to combating gender-based violence and ensuring accountability within law enforcement agencies. This culminated in the submission of a memorandum to the National Police Commissioner to demand compliance and improved protection for women and children during the 16 Days of Activism Against Women and Children. This action highlighted our relentless pursuit of justice and safety for vulnerable demographics.
To commemorate World AIDS Day, we hosted an event in Rand West. This event brought together the community to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS, support those affected by the disease and promote preventive measures. It was a day of solidarity, education and community spirit.
