Mashaba’s surprising shift: ActionSA would accept cabinet role under Ramaphosa

Johannesburg – ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba says his party would accept a cabinet position if invited by President Cyril Ramaphosa, despite his previous strong opposition to working with the African National Congress (ANC).

Mashaba made the remarks in an interview with Newzroom Afrika’s Xoli Mngambi on Monday.

“In the event that the ANC so desire, because it’s not our decision, it’s the president’s prerogative to put together the Cabinet. He’s already been elected as the president of the country, so the entire prerogative is with the president to decide on a new Cabinet.

“If it does happen that he invites ActionSA to be part of that government, we will gladly participate in ensuring that we keep our country stable,” Mashaba said.

[WATCH] ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba tells @XoliMngambi that in the event that President Cyril Ramaphosa invites the party to be part of the cabinet,
they’ll gladly accept the position.#Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/DPOXE1e9wy

— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) April 1, 2025

His stance marks a significant shift from his previous position.

According to The Citizen, in November 2021, following the local government elections, he explicitly ruled out any chance of forming alliances with the ANC, saying that he would never work with them, “not even in 300 years”.

At the time, he insisted that ActionSA was willing to work only with other opposition parties.

However, in December last year, Mashaba softened his stance, saying the ANC had become more “humble” and that was the reason he decided to engage with them.

His party now has coalition agreements with the ANC in Johannesburg and Tshwane councils, despite earlier promises to voters that ActionSA would not cooperate with the ruling party.