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On Monday, 16 February 2026, ActionSA’s Central Candidate Selection Committee (CSC) will meet to finalise its selection of a Johannesburg mayoral candidate, ahead of the announcement set for Saturday, 21 February 2026.

The party has undertaken a rigorous process of engaging its structures and assessing candidates on their ability to turn around the collapse of service delivery in Johannesburg. Following the conclusion of the formal nomination process, the CSC invited a number of senior leaders to make themselves available for consideration.

The following shortlist of leaders has made themselves available at the request of the party and will be interviewed tomorrow evening:

• Herman Mashaba
• Michael Beaumont
• Lerato Ngobeni MP
• Dereleen James MP
• Funzi Ngobeni MPL

These candidates have been engaged by the party and have obliged the request to make themselves available for consideration following an extensive period of consultation, engagement and vetting. The profiles of the candidates are included below.

The candidates have submitted presentations outlining turnaround plans for Johannesburg, have undergone security vetting and will participate in this interview phase tomorrow evening, after which final deliberations will lead to a decision.

ActionSA is deeply mindful of the state of Johannesburg and the total collapse of service delivery that has unfolded over the past few years under the leadership of African National Congress, Democratic Alliance and various micro-party mayors. The revolving door of leadership in the city has been matched only by a complete apathy as Johannesburg has stumbled from one disaster to another, leaving residents in the dark, both literally and figuratively, about how the collapse will be reversed.

ActionSA is clear that any chosen candidate will be required to lead a complex coalition in the running of a city that ActionSA leaders have a proven track record of fixing in the past.

ActionSA will announce its mayoral candidate at the official launch event on Saturday, 21 February 2026.

Profile of Candidates: 

Herman Mashaba (66) is ActionSA’s President and co-founder, and a self-made entrepreneur turned political leader who defied the limitations imposed on him by the apartheid system to build a business empire that has benefitted millions of South Africans. He served as Johannesburg’s Mayor from 2016 to 2019, during which time his record of turning around the city stands unrivalled. His achievements include the highest resident satisfaction levels in the city’s history, the establishment of the city’s first anti-corruption unit, an expanded and more effective JMPD, the insourcing of security guards, and a first-of-its-kind inner-city rejuvenation programme.

Michael Beaumont (41) is the party’s National Chairperson and co-founder. He holds an Honours degree from Rhodes University and a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration from Wits Business School. He served as Mashaba’s Chief of Staff throughout his mayoralty and played a central role in translating the change agenda into governance in the city, including leading the successful negotiation of agreements with organised labour to stabilise service delivery and labour relations.

Lerato Ngobeni MP (46) is ActionSA’s National Spokesperson, Parliamentary Chief Whip and a member of the party’s Senate. She is a former councillor in the City of Johannesburg and previously served as Chairperson of the Oversight Committee on Environment, Infrastructure and Services, exercising direct oversight over the city’s core utilities, Johannesburg Water, City Power and Pikitup. Beyond public office, she served as a 2010 FIFA World Cup Manager for the Royal Bafokeng Nation in Rustenburg, strengthening her capacity in strategic planning, infrastructure coordination and high-stakes execution. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, summa cum laude, from Johnson C. Smith University in North Carolina, USA, and has completed the Advanced Course in Policy Making and Analysis for Africa’s Development at the Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Academy.

Dereleen James MP (49) is an ActionSA Member of Parliament whose political journey emerged from her activism as a prominent South African anti-drug and social change campaigner. She works closely with communities affected by drug abuse, trafficking, gangsterism and other social ills. She founded the Yellow Ribbon Foundation to address abuse and has served on several high-level bodies, including the Central Drug Authority and the SAPS National Gangsterism Forum, to which she was appointed by former National Commissioner General Sithole. She currently serves as Deputy Chairperson of the Multi-Party Women’s Caucus and is a member of the Portfolio Committees on Police, Correctional Services and Social Development, as well as Parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating political interference within the criminal justice system.

Funzi Ngobeni MPL (51) is ActionSA’s Gauteng Provincial Chairperson and a Member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature. He holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Management and has completed further studies in housing policy and governance. He brings hands-on executive experience in local government, having served as Johannesburg’s MMC across multiple portfolios, including Finance and ICT, Development Planning and Transport. During his tenure as MMC for Finance, the City achieved an unqualified audit outcome, closed the 2018/19 financial year with R5.3 billion in cash reserves, and spent over 91 per cent of its capital budget. He introduced the Once-Off Debt Rehabilitation Programme to assist struggling households in restoring financial stability, while redirecting capital spending towards critical infrastructure such as water, transport, electricity, housing and long-term city renewal.

He also played a key role in advancing Johannesburg’s 2018 Land Use Scheme, replacing fragmented and outdated planning laws with a unified modern framework. A founding member of ActionSA, he previously served as the party’s National Director of Operations before returning to public office. He currently leads the party’s provincial structures while shaping its oversight and legislative work in Gauteng.

ActionSA is confident that the Candidate Selection Committee will apply its mind to the decision before it and will put forward a candidate at Saturday’s launch who offers a credible alternative to the failed politics that have broken Johannesburg.

Issued by ActionSA National Chairperson Michael Beaumont