ActionSA president Herman Mashaba announced the party’s national chairperson Michael Beaumont, Eastern Cape provincial chairperson Athol Trollip and party spokesperson Lerato Ngobeni are among the candidates the party will be fielding to represent it in the National Assembly.

Mashaba was unveiling his party’s 'Team Fix South Africa' in Johannesburg, where he noted that if given the mandate to govern, an ActionSA administration would reduce the number of national government departments to about 20, and eliminate the position of deputy minister in all departments.

He said the chosen candidates represented some of the best minds and skills the country had.

He announced Beaumont as the party’s Team Fix South Africa's member for Infrastructure and Public Enterprises, Ngobeni as Team Fix South Africa’s member for Home Affairs and Trollip as Team Fix South Africa’s member for Land and Agriculture, and as the party’s leader of Executive Business in Parliament.

The list also includes Dr Tsholofelo Maforah, Dr Tutu Faleni, Solly Moeng, Pieter Scribante, Mpho Madisha, Dr Kgosi Letlape, Nothukhela Mahkohliso, Dereleen James, Advocate Julie Seaton, Thuli Khoza, Mohammed Rafeek Shah, Nompumelelo Edward, Sello Lediga and Alan Beesley.

“They represent some of the most patriotic South Africans who are committed to undoing the legacy of the current cruel and uncaring government. Those who form part of ‘Team Fix South Africa’ have already served this country in the public and private sectors for many years, and are now ready to take that contribution further,” Mashaba said.

He noted that his party would reduce the benefits Ministers received, including “excessive” catering and travel allowances, it would slash the budget for VIP protection, and ensure that Ministers were always transparent about the actions they took.

He added that at a time of fiscal constraint and a cost of living crisis that is ravaging the nation, the perks of Ministers should be slashed before any other budgetary cuts.

He said leaders must set an example for fiscal responsibility.

“With their announcement today, we want to demonstrate to the South African people that we are not a party hallmarked by career politicians with no real-world experience in the portfolios they are meant to lead,” he said.

He committed that an ActionSA government would be appointed based on merit, and not political connections. 

“Whether ActionSA governs with a majority, or in coalition, we will be uncompromising on ensuring that we appoint the best persons to Cabinet positions who have real-world experience in the portfolios they are supposed to lead. We will not engage in cadre deployment, nepotism and cronyism. We will only appoint people on merit and with impeccable track records with a commitment to clean governance and service delivery,” he said.

While other political leaders might make space for compromised leaders within their ranks, Mashaba said ActionSA was unwavering in its commitment that the party’s leaders must be above reproach.

He explained that all candidates had undergone an extensive and rigorous selection process, adding that the party had spent countless hours interviewing candidates and scoring tests to ensure that ActionSA only sent the best people possible to Parliament to possibly fill Cabinet positions.