ActionSA Gains 54 Wards in Gauteng Metros as ANC Support Declines

ActionSA Captures 54 Wards Across Gauteng Metros in Local Government Shift

ActionSA is on track to lead in 54 wards across Johannesburg, Tshwane, and Ekurhuleni following the local government elections, making significant inroads into historically ANC-dominated townships, Daily Maverick reported.

The party’s electoral gains stretch across Soweto, Tembisa, Atteridgeville, Mabopane, Ivory Park, and Hammanskraal. Michael Beaumont, ActionSA national chairperson, stated that the party was positioned to lead 27 wards in Tshwane, 16 in Ekurhuleni, and 11 in Johannesburg.

Official results data captured at 1:00 pm on Friday, November 6, reflected a slightly different tally while counting remained under way. The Electoral Commission figures recorded ActionSA leading 26 wards in Tshwane, 11 in Ekurhuleni, and 14 in Johannesburg, totaling 51 wards at that snapshot.

Shifting Figures in Tshwane, Ekurhuleni, and Johannesburg

In Tshwane, ActionSA secured leads in seven expected wards in Atteridgeville, alongside wards in Ga-Rankuwa, Mabopane, and Hammanskraal. In Ekurhuleni’s Tembisa, Beaumont reported the party was on track to win all nine wards, backed by strong performances around Daveyton and Katlehong. In Johannesburg, where the party won 16% of the vote in 2021 without capturing a single ward, ActionSA was on track to secure roughly eight wards in Soweto, alongside strong showings in Ivory Park and Ward 124 south of the Central Business District.

By contrast, provisional results data showed substantial declines in ward representation for the African National Congress. In Johannesburg, the ANC’s ward tally dropped from 87 in 2021 to 44 in the latest snapshot. In Ekurhuleni, its count fell from 78 to 26, while Tshwane saw a drop from 70 to 29.

Mashaba Distances ActionSA from the Democratic Alliance

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba told eNCA that the results mark a major milestone for the six-year-old party after its regrouping following the 2024 general elections. Mashaba credited voters in areas such as Orange Farm and Alexandra for making their voices heard, while blaming decades of mismanagement by the ANC for local infrastructure failures.

Addressing potential coalitions, Mashaba distanced his party from the Democratic Alliance, pointing to their previous association as a mistake, according to eNCA. He emphasized that ActionSA operates as an independent entity and approaches potential coalition talks with all parties equally.

EWN reported that ActionSA garnered 16.8% of the votes in Johannesburg, 22.4% in Tshwane, and 16.29% in Ekurhuleni as counts progressed. Beaumont told EWN that the party attributes these figures to voters choosing to break away from established parties that have failed to deliver services over long periods.