It’s been a privilege to occupy a front row seat in the creation of a new political force in South Africa. Many years back, my work exposed me to Herman Mashaba and his exceptional entrepreneurial partner, wife Connie. Since then, it kept us connected as his life has moved from earning to serving.
Our interview yesterday (click here or above to watch) unpacks his intentions. What was not covered is Mashaba’s faith, a factor which underlies his every action. It also confuses the kind of character typically drawn to politics.
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So when this man says his goal is to remove the ANC’s grip on power, it is not a vote catching slogan. It’s his mission. The first milestone was surpassed in last month’s Local Elections. The next one is to get the ANC below 30% of the national vote in 2024.
Herman Mashaba is approaching this morning’s coalition discussions between natural political allies with similar clarity. Either a true partnership is created in the Gauteng Metros. Or he’ll step back and, instead, invest the next two years building ActionSA’s national network. This is not a negotiating position to grab maximum power. It’s his reality. Isn’t it nice to know SA politics has at least one leader whose cause is consistent.
More for you to read today:
* James Myburgh: The slow demise of the ANC. The editor of Politicsweb writes about the accelerating disintegration of SA’s one-party dominant system.
* Peggy Noonan: Slowly Learning to Live With Covid. Shots are an achievement but not a miracle, and other realities with which we’re coming to terms.
* Garry Kasparov: ‘Woke’ Is a Bad Word for a Real Threat to Democracy. In authoritarian regimes, vengeance and coercion stand in place of justice and reason. I’ve seen it before.
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