ActionSA’s trump card: How Herman Mashaba convinced Xolani Khumalo to run for Ekurhuleni mayor
ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba introduces television personality and anti-crime activist Xolani Khumalo as the party’s mayoral candidate for Ekurhuleni.
Image: Herman Mashaba/X
Television personality and anti-crime activist Xolani Khumalo has expressed confidence in his ability to turn around the City of Ekurhuleni, after being announced as ActionSA’s mayoral candidate in the upcoming local government elections.
IOL reported over the weekend that ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba unveiled Khumalo’s candidacy on Saturday, describing him as an “ethical leader.”
Khumalo, best known as a former presenter on Moja Love’s Sizokthola, revealed that his entry into politics came after a conversation with Mashaba. He explained that he initially approached the ActionSA president to seek support for his foundation.
“As an activist, I run the Xolani Khumalo Foundation. For us to work, we rely on donations from companies and individuals. I went to ask for assistance from Mr Mashaba and he said, ‘You shouldn’t be asking for help, you should be working on a much broader scale,’” Khumalo told broadcaster Newzroom Afrika.
He said Mashaba then proposed that he run for the Ekurhuleni mayoral chain.
“He said, ‘How about you become mayor? Clean the city, do what you do, and help the people of South Africa realise what they need to realise.’ Clearly, he saw passion, and he saw that I live what I do. The proposal was, ‘Be mayor and we will support you, so that you can work,’” Khumalo said.
Khumalo admitted that he has no political background but believes he can succeed with ActionSA’s backing.
“I don’t know politics, but with the support I’ll get, I will understand and hit the ground running. At the end of the day, the reason we are in this situation is because of the leaders we have,” he said.
Khumalo rose to prominence through his television investigations exposing drug dens and criminal activities. In April 2025, he was acquitted of charges linked to the death of an alleged drug dealer — a case that attracted widespread public attention.
The 2026 municipal elections are scheduled to take place between November 2, 2026, and February 1, 2027. These polls will determine the composition of councils across South Africa’s metropolitan, local and district municipalities.
In Ekurhuleni, the municipal council consists of 224 members, with half elected through first-past-the-post voting in 112 wards, and the remainder through proportional representation.
jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za
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