Herman Mashaba is at his best when cruising off-piste, fielding difficult questions. He had quite a few to navigate during the interview and audience engagement section of his keynote at the 5th BizNews Conference in the Drakensberg, held in March 2023. Mashaba began with a glowing endorsement of political rival Gayton McKenzie’s ‘true and riveting’ keynote address before on to a wide range of topics including how his creation, ActionSA, intends playing a significant role in South Africa’s future – as either its biggest or #2 political party.
Timestamps below:
- 00:00 Herman Mashaba on what he thought of Gayton Mackenzie’s speech
- 02:49 His thoughts on the death penalty
- 05:47 His views on illegal immigration
- 09:25 On finding a way to make peace with Helen Zille and the DA for the rainbow coalition
- 19:30 On how he will get the 70 to 80% to come out and vote
- 22:17 On how he will deal with the issue of immigration
- 24:32 On BRICS and the growing Russian influence
- 26:11 On if he’s willing to go into a coalition with the EFF for the sake of removing the ANC
- 32:52 In the event that the ANC doesn’t get 50% of the vote in 2024. What chances of the ANC actually giving up power?
- 35:48 On if he believes there will be a free and fair election in 2024
- 39:04 On making peace with Helen Zille
- 42:32 On property
- 44:27 On the KZN riots
- 46:34 End
Some extracts from Mashaba’s Q&A:
Herman Mashaba on Gayton McKenzie’s speech
My goodness, I’ve never heard a speech like that before … it was riveting. And what is actually quite sad about it, is that it really is so true. I’m a casualty of the madness that Gayton spoke about. I’ve moved on in my life now, and have ended up running a political party – a capitalist like me – with a job that I hate. I’m running a political party and I am really fighting to keep the ANC out. And unfortunately, most, if not all of the things that Gayton said, are actually true. If you’re serious about the removal of the ANC, like I am committed to, we need to really respect our coalition partners. When I was the mayor for three years in the city of Johannesburg, it was the most stable it’s ever been, until my own party connived with ANC to remove me. And I got to know about it before they removed me, and then I decided to walk away. I said what is the point? But I’m still determined and committed to unseat the ANC and to do it democratically. We are not going to do it by getting the Russians to give us AK 47’s. We are going to mobilise South Africans to come out in their numbers to vote, because, come 2024, if we still have the ANC government in power. I’m telling you that this country is gone
On BRICS and the Russian influence in the country
ActionSA is a part of a multiparty government. I have no issues with China, Russia, India, and Brazil. But I cannot really see the benefit for South Africa to be part of BRICS. We will trade with them and everyone else. I just cannot understand how we can alienate our relationship with the West. We gain, what, six and half billion rands in our favour from the United States. Russia, what can they give us? AK 47’s. We need AK 47’s For what?
Read more: South Africa’s second State of Disaster: Legal challenges ahead
If the ANC gets less than 50% of the vote in 2024, what is the likelihood that they will give up power
We can deal with them through the law. We’ve got the constitution. South Africans are gatvol, particularly poor black South Africans. I honestly think this country is not dependent on the ANC. This country is dependent on the voters. So we’ve got to get the voters to go out there and remove the ANC, and remove it democratically and not concern ourselves about their criminality. If they want to disrupt, they’re at least out of government, and we will make sure that we deal with them.
On if he believes there will be a free and fair election come 2024
For us, as ActionSA, we always appeal to our supporters in everyone – yes, we want your money, but on the day of elections, we want party agents, party agents who are available to ensure that everyone comes in to vote, that they’ve got the right to documentation to vote, that people are on the voter’s roll. You must be there until all the counting is done. Then there’s no way that you can steal the South African election, the only time the ANC will steal our election is if we give up, and go to church or go to watch the rugby on the day of the election. I believe all of us volunteer to make sure that we are party agents to ensure that every voting station is secure. We’ve got sharp, intelligent people and hardworking people.
