Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read
03 September 2025 | 08:45 CAT

ActionSA marks 5 years of growth and political engagement.

ActionSA marked its fifth anniversary over the weekend, reflecting on its role in South Africa’s political landscape. Party leader Herman Mashaba used the milestone to acknowledge mistakes, outline lessons learnt, and reaffirm the party’s independence going forward.

In an interview with Radio Islam International, Mashaba conceded that ActionSA’s earlier ties with the DA proved costly. “Our association with the DA was a fatal mistake, which allowed the DA to decampaign us. We underestimated the fear of the DA by black voters,” he said. This, he added, contributed to support for Jacob Zuma’s MK party. “I really want to admit, I underestimated Jacob Zuma’s influence,” he noted.

Despite setbacks, Mashaba insists the party is gaining ground. “South Africans today are aware that ActionSA is a totally independent organisation. That is why you see this massive growth of branches being opened and independent activists becoming councillors,” he explained. The party says it has attracted 45 councillors since the start of the year without contesting by-elections.

On the arrival of new political movements, including one initiated by Floyd Shivambu, Mashaba welcomed competition. “We live in a democratic space. People are concerned about the ANC’s corruption and the DA being run by the brutal bourgeoisie. So, there’s a huge opportunity for alternative voices,” he said.

Much of the scrutiny, however, remains on ActionSA’s stance of neutrality on the Palestine issue. “People wanted us to take a position, but the Middle East is a very complex matter. We wish for leadership that can get communities to co-exist,” Mashaba explained.

While Mashaba defends neutrality as pragmatic, critics argue that in the face of what many international observers and South Africans recognise as a genocide, silence is not an option. South Africa has historically played a role in championing global human rights, and many believe that distancing ourselves from Palestine’s plight undermines that legacy.

Mashaba counters that South Africans remain preoccupied with domestic struggles. “Over 50 percent of our people don’t know where their next meal is going to come from. When we talk about human rights, let’s talk about the human rights of South Africans first,” he said.

Still, South Africa’s own history of overcoming apartheid shapes public expectation. For many, solidarity with Palestine is not just a foreign policy question but a moral responsibility, a reminder that the struggle against injustice anywhere remains intertwined with our identity as a nation that overcame oppression.

Listen to the full interview on Sabahul Muslim with Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat and Herman Masahaba.