JOHANNESBURG, Thursday 12 November 2026 — ActionSA has held discussions with the Freedom Front Plus, Patriotic Alliance and Build One South Africa as the party explores potential partnerships following South Africa’s 2026 local government elections.
The meetings, held on Wednesday, come as ActionSA seeks to strengthen its negotiating position in hung municipal councils, particularly in Gauteng’s metropolitan municipalities.
ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont met representatives of the three parties, according to reporting by Eyewitness News on Thursday.
Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie also publicly referred to a meeting with ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba.
The discussions represent an expansion of ActionSA’s post-election engagements beyond the larger parties competing to lead municipal governments.
No formal coalition agreement or common voting arrangement between the parties has been confirmed.
ActionSA has emerged as an important potential coalition partner following the elections, particularly in Johannesburg, where no party secured an outright majority.
The Democratic Alliance won the largest number of Johannesburg council seats, followed by the ANC and ActionSA. The result leaves the major parties dependent on negotiations to establish a governing majority.
The talks with smaller parties come alongside ActionSA’s separate engagements with the ANC and DA over possible municipal governing arrangements.
Relations between ActionSA and the DA remain complicated by disagreements over the DA’s Johannesburg mayoral candidate, Helen Zille.
ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has previously said his party would not support a DA-led administration with Zille as mayoral candidate.
The ANC, meanwhile, is convening a special National Executive Committee meeting on Thursday to review its electoral performance and determine the framework for its coalition negotiations.
ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu said the meeting would consider a negotiating mandate and reports on initial engagements with other political parties.
The ANC secured approximately 30.76% of the national vote, compared with 24.64% for the DA, according to final election results reported by Reuters. The outcome has increased the number of municipalities requiring coalition arrangements.
The outcome of ActionSA’s discussions with smaller parties could influence the balance of support in councils where neither the ANC nor DA can secure a majority independently.
The next significant development will be whether the parties announce a common negotiating position, formal agreement or commitment to support particular mayoral candidates.
