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Reflecting on the by-election in Ward 7 of the Ramotshere Moiloa Municipality, which marked ActionSA’s first ward victory, one cannot overlook the deeper significance of this milestone. It represents far more than just an electoral success but rather a powerful reflection of a shifting political consciousness among South Africans who are steadily breaking away from the comfort of established yet failed political parties. 

Increasingly, citizens are embracing a more collaborative and responsive form of leadership that speaks to shared values, accountability and tangible delivery. Through ActionSA’s Operation Green Umbrella we are witnessing how the work of true collaboration and consolidation among like-minded parties can bring about meaningful change. This effort is not confined to the urban landscape and is our deliberate fight to bring about a new social and political framing that connects South Africans across towns, urban centers, villages and farming communities, uniting them under a central fight to fix South Africa. 

For decades, our communities have endured an ANC-dominated system weighed down by inefficiency, corruption and broken promises. The residents of Ward 7 have now shown that a different path is possible, one where leadership actually listens, acts and delivers. Their decision to turn away from mediocrity reflects a growing awareness that progress and effective service require voters to act with purpose in charting a new course that makes this possible.

And in this, it is becoming increasingly clear that ActionSA’s growth is no longer confined to urban centres, as our message is resonating far beyond city boundaries and taking root in rural municipalities where people are most desperate for credible, ethical and people-centred governance. In these communities, we are identifying that ActionSA is being recognised as not merely an alternative to the ANC but as an alternative that represents the reality that South Africa’s renewal must be driven by integrity, inclusivity and genuine service to the people.

ActionSA’s Green Umbrella, which represents the strengthening of our fight for these values, mirrors a notable development in Botswana where opposition parties united under the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) to challenge decades of dominance by the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). That coalition succeeded in bringing about political change, culminating in the election of Duma Boko as the sixth president of Botswana. In much the same way that the UDC demonstrates the power of disciplined collaboration, ActionSA’s Green Umbrella is an effort to advance strategic unity capable of transforming politics, mounting a real electoral fightback and delivering accountable governance in South Africa.

What should be clear to all of us is that the work of fixing South Africa is bigger than any one party or leader. This is why ActionSA continues to keep its doors open to all like-minded political parties and civic formations that share our values and commitment to building a capable and ethical state. The momentum we are building is not about power but about partnership and about restoring faith that South Africa can still be fixed when we work side by side.

Aligning under a common and disciplined purpose amplifies impact, strengthens governance capacity and presents a credible alternative to the ANC’s misrule. The people of Ward 7 have shown that disciplined unity works. Their victory this week proves that strategic collaboration can break the ANC’s hold, transform politics and lay the foundation for effective governance. Under the Green Umbrella, South Africans across the country, in cities and rural towns, can come together, reclaim their power and finally experience a government that serves the people rather than itself.

This is not a distant dream. It is happening ward by ward, community by community, metro by metro and village by village. Together, through disciplined collaboration, we can fix South Africa.

Issued by ActionSA Deputy President Dr Mbahare Kekana