With the 2026 Local Government Elections on the horizon, ActionSA has launched a determined bid to rescue several struggling municipalities in the Free State, unveiling a contingent of 80 new members recruited from rival political parties and civic movements.
During a press conference in Bloemfontein on Thursday, the party confirmed it will contest key municipalities, including Mangaung, Dihlabeng, Masilonyana, Moqhaka, and Setsoto. The move targets councils that the party claims have been crippled by financial mismanagement and maladministration, citing a staggering R4.2 billion in unauthorized expenditure.
ActionSA Deputy President Dr. Mbahare Kekana described the upcoming election as a “defining moment” for the province, emphasizing that the new recruits—drawn from the African National Congress (ANC), Democratic Alliance (DA), and the Afrika Mayibuye Movemen—are part of a strategic plan to restore governance .
“The people of the state deserve better. They deserve municipalities that deliver water, electricity, and dignity,” Dr. Kekana said. “People of the state deserve leaders who place community before self and governance before politics.”
The party leader expressed unwavering confidence in the new members, stating that success does not depend on polished rhetoric but on tangible implementation. “We are very confident that leaders here… it is not about them talking English, but it’s about them implementing what our people actually want to be implemented,” the leader said.
In a direct appeal for unity aimed at avoiding fragmented opposition, ActionSA extended an olive branch to smaller political entities. “We are calling upon leaders of political parties, especially young emerging political parties, to approach us… because we believe that a long ballot paper will never take us anywhere,” the party leader stated.
ActionSA’s regional chairperson in Mangaung confirmed that the party is actively developing coalition strategies, noting that they are engaging various political groups to ensure they do not “come empty-handed” when campaigns commence.
Newly recruited members articulated the urgency of the mission, pointing to the dire state of service delivery and youth unemployment. “Unemployment rate is sickening in the Free State,” one new member said. “We are seeing graduation season… we cannot shy away from the fact that we will be seeing thousands of hopeful young people who will be graduating… and again they are going to form part of yearly stats of unemployment.”
The party has concluded its press conference with a call to civic action, urging young people to register to vote and verify their details ahead of the anticipated polls.
