ActionSA has set its sights on securing another five years in office for City of Tshwane Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya, as the party emerged as the second-largest political force in the capital following Wednesday’s local government elections.
Speaking to the media at the Results Operations Centre (ROC) in Midrand on Friday, Moya expressed gratitude to Tshwane residents for backing ActionSA, saying the party’s electoral performance demonstrated growing public confidence in its leadership and service delivery record.
As of 13:30, ActionSA had secured 23.49% of the vote in Tshwane, placing it second behind the Democratic Alliance (DA), according to the provisional results cited during the briefing.
Moya, who was accompanied by ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont, said the party had provisionally won several wards across the municipality, marking a significant improvement from the 2021 local government elections.
“Firstly, I want to congratulate fellow South Africans who went out and made their mark on the 4th of November,” Moya said.
“We have provisionally won some wards in the City of Tshwane, something we did not get in the 2021 elections.”
She thanked residents for placing their trust in her leadership and giving ActionSA a stronger mandate.
“I want to thank the residents for trusting me as the face of Tshwane for ActionSA and the mandate they have given me, and for trusting me with your households as the executive mayor for the City of Tshwane.”
Moya attributed the party’s performance to consistent community engagement and what she described as a commitment to delivering services rather than relying on political gimmicks.
She said ActionSA’s campaign began on 24 October 2024, when she assumed office as mayor, and was built on daily interactions with communities across the municipality.
“Every day I was in communities, doing something and engaging them,” she said.
According to Moya, the administration’s willingness to listen to residents and respond to their concerns helped build trust over time.
She said residents appreciated tangible improvements in their communities rather than ceremonial events and political publicity.
“One thing I didn’t do was to look for gimmicks when serving the people of Tshwane. I think they resonated with the day-to-day deliveries instead of just cutting ribbons.”
Moya also credited ordinary residents who volunteered to campaign for ActionSA despite the party’s limited financial resources.
She said supporters had taken it upon themselves to spread the party’s message in their neighbourhoods, contributing to its electoral gains.
Reflecting on her time leading Tshwane’s coalition government, Moya acknowledged that governing alongside different political parties had not been without challenges.
However, she maintained that the coalition had demonstrated that political differences could be overcome when parties prioritised the interests of residents.
“When you are in a coalition, it is never about you, but about the residents,” she said.
She explained that coalition partners had found common ground on improving service delivery, stabilising municipal finances, promoting economic growth and ensuring that all communities benefited from government programmes.
“What made it easy was that we agreed on what was important and that we would reach out to all communities and serve all communities.”
Moya said the coalition’s shared objectives had enabled the administration to function despite political differences.
“It was not easy, I will not lie and say it was,” she added.
Meanwhile, Beaumont made it clear that ActionSA was prepared to enter coalition negotiations with any political party, provided potential partners agreed to the party’s governance principles.
He said coalition agreements would be guided by a shared programme of government aimed at improving services across all communities, tackling corruption and addressing illegal immigration within the powers available to local government.
Beaumont also warned that ActionSA would not support the appointment of mayors with a history of corruption and a lack of service delivery for all communities.
He said the party’s immediate priority in Tshwane would be negotiating an arrangement that allows Moya to continue leading the municipality.
“ActionSA will be negotiating to ensure Dr Moya gets five more years,” Beaumont said.
The final composition of the council and the outcome of coalition negotiations will determine whether she retains the mayoral position.