ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba. (File photo)
ActionSA president Herman Mashaba says the party would “celebrate” if March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma made herself available to be the party’s mayoral candidate in eThekwini.
The Mail & Guardian understands that some in the party have been seriously lobbying Masahaba to convince Ngobese-Zuma to be their party’s eThekwini mayoral candidate if they are to stand any chance in the local government elections in November.
“If anyone wants Jacinta to be our mayoral candidate and if we can manage to get her to be our mayoral candidate in eThekwini, we will embrace it with both hands,” Mashaba told the M&G.
“Obviously, we have a relationship with March and March. I support what they do. As yet, there have been no conversations. She is focused on March and March and we are focused on ActionSA. If anyone can swing it for us, we will celebrate.”
Ngobese-Zuma has been at the forefront of calls for undocumented foreigners to leave the country, a move that has been viewed by some as xenophobic.
The March and March movement has insisted its anti-illegal immigration marches are not driven by xenophobia, but by calls for the government to enforce immigration laws and act against undocumented foreigners. The group has mainly coordinated marches in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
Mashaba’s party has also been vocal in calling for undocumented foreigners to be deported to their home countries.
Over the weekend, ActionSA announced former Operation Dudula leader Zandile Dabula as its Johannesburg MMC candidate for Human Settlements, should the party win the upcoming local government elections. Operation Dudula is also a civic organisation that has called for the deportation of undocumented foreigners.
This has fuelled speculation that Mashaba’s party was planning to use the issue of undocumented foreigners in the country as a campaign tool by associating itself with groups such as Operation Dudula and March and March.
Mashaba said that although the party may not get an outright majority in municipalities across the country, it was prepared to work with any political party on condition that they meet its three non-negotiables.
“The first one is: if you want to work with ActionSA and Herman Mashaba gets involved in corruption, don’t cover for Herman Mashaba because Herman Mashaba will not cover for you. Corruption for us is public enemy number one.
“If you want to co-govern with us, you must declare publicly before we go into a coalition that public services are going to all residents. Don’t tell us public services must only be provided to those who voted for you.
“The last issue, which is also non-negotiable, is the question of undocumented foreign nationals. In any municipality where ActionSA is co-governing, undocumented foreign nationals are not welcome. If you feel you have a heart for undocumented foreign nationals, don’t invite us into your government.”
He added that the party would “declare war” on undocumented foreigners, saying they were not welcome in municipalities across the country.
Mashaba has also been campaigning heavily since the party announced that he would be its Johannesburg mayoral candidate.
“I’m coming back to Johannesburg and it’s not a matter of saying I want to — I’m coming back. Next year, this time, I will be the mayor of the City of Johannesburg.”
Mashaba also weighed in on Rise Mzansi’s announcement of Lukhona Mguni as its Johannesburg mayoral candidate. The party announced the former political analyst as its candidate last week.
Mashaba said it was not a surprise to him, as Mguni had always been a politician associated with Rise Mzansi.
“As much as he wanted to claim to be independent, you had to be stupid not to see his allegiance. Anyway, we live in a democratic space. Let us enjoy the freedom we attained in 1994.”