It has become starkly evident that most South Africans agree that ours is a broken political system. Whether it is the failures of the ANC, the self-mutilation of the DA, the anarchy of the EFF, or the dismal track record of new parties in the past, South Africans are well within their right to be more vigilant and sceptical about the real motivations behind new political formations such as ActionSA.
And so, people ask: how is ActionSA different from established political parties and from those who disappeared as quickly as they emerged? How is it going to respond to the mammoth challenges ordinary South Africans face? How do we know we are not making way for yet another political party that will continue in the self-serving track of current political parties? Isn’t another political party just going to polarise the opposition vote?
All these are legitimate questions warranting real responses.
In the first instance, Action SA is a party whose roots can be traced from an extensive 9-month consultative process with about 2.4 million ordinary South Africans known as The People’s Dialogue. All those who participated expressed their individual views about a collective vision for the future they want for our country.
We took note and collated all submissions that have helped to formulate our solutions blueprint. South Africans were clear that their wanted to rid our society of corruption, criminality, poverty, and poor education. They want to elect leaders they can trust, who will put their interests ahead of party-political interests. They want to live in a more equitable and non-racial society.
The solutions we offer, and continue to develop, arise from conversations with South African professionals from all backgrounds with decades of experience, who know the barriers to success in their respective fields who partnered with us to help formulate a development agenda that will help fix our country and get people back to work.
South Africans want a political party that offers them renewed hope for the future. Action SA was created to do just that. To ensure that we deliver a practical message for renewal that is not based on the failures of the past, but rather what can be done to turn things around. Will it be an easy road? Certainly not. Is it even possible given how far we have fallen? The answer is a resounding yes!
Yes, because we believe in our country’s potential; in our people’s ability to do things for ourselves and not leave the important task of rebuilding our country solely in the hands of politicians.
The stakes have never been higher for our people to make a different choice. We must unseat the ANC in this year’s Local Government Elections, and most definitely in the 2024 National Election. The future of our country looks bleak with the ANC continuing to govern uninterruptedly for all 27 years of our democracy.
Action SA is the only party committed to unseating the ANC and usher in a new era of clean governance across municipalities powered by a professional public service and a more accountable national government.
With a leadership team that has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to putting country before party. Leaders like Herman Mashaba, Vytjie Mentor, Makhosi Khoza, John Moodey, Funzi Ngobeni, Abel Tau and many others made the tough decision to leave their former political homes when they realised that they were not committed to serving society. It is well documented that they all did so at great personal cost. The bravery of Vytjie Mentor and Makhosi Khoza, who called out ANC corruption that ultimately led to the formation of the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture. And Herman Mashaba who left the DA after realising that responding to the needs of the poor residents of Johannesburg was not top of the DA’s agenda.
Action SA‘s leadership team also includes other great South Africans who do not come from a party political background. Lawyers, accountants, former policemen, farmers, businessmen and young people, all people who bring their skills, experience and a wide range of valuable perspectives to the organisation.
While all other parties have abandoned the equitable representation agenda that reflects the diversity of South African society, Action SA is a party that is committed to serving the interests of all South Africans. Afterall, that is what we should all expect from a governing party.
We are not afraid to call out racism, tribalism, anarchy, and dishonesty whenever and from wherever they come. We unapologetically put the interests of our citizens first ahead of all else. We are not afraid to call for stricter boarder-controls so that we can minimise illegal immigration in our country. And no, we are not xenophobic, afrophobic or anything in between. We are patriots who love our country and hate what has been done to it. We are for the rule of law and against criminality.
Action SA offers a vision for more prosperous and safer South Africa, one where all citizens can realise their individual and collective potential. A South Africa healed from its past.
We are committed to removing trade unions from controlling government and treat them like other key stakeholders, as a voice for vulnerable employees. We are not afraid to say that labour laws need to be relaxed to enable more businesses hire more South Africans.
Is Action SA government ruffling some feathers? Without any doubt.
We believe in direct democracy administered through a Primaries Systems where South Africans can directly vote for their leaders, and not just party members. We will combine the innovation of online voting with physical centres where people can cast their votes for our candidates. Therefore, communities will get the best councillors to represent them who they can hold accountable and remove them when they betray their mandates.
The best part is that the very same system will be used to partner with communities to performance manage our elected representatives. Through mid-term elections communities will get to express their approval, or not, for their elected representatives from ActionSA. If communities are dissatisfied, that elected representative will be removed and replaced through the same system.
I could go on and on but I won’t. The truth is that our leadership is made up of people who know that ActionSA must be different from any other political party.
We have to speak to those who have lost faith in established parties and those who have given up on voting and offer them something they have lost – hope that there is a party that get South Africa working.
We must change the face of South African politics, for our people most definitely deserve better.
