‘Growing pains’ hit ActionSA

Was the recent commotion at an ActionSA meeting in Tshwane the signs of an already divided party, or just growing pains?

Over the weekend, footage of the chaos that erupted during the meeting spread over social media after the party’s Tshwane leadership allegedly told members ActionSA was a political party and not an employment agency. Last year in Soweto, party members cited a jobs-for-pals scenario and petitioned party leader Herman Mashaba.

Mashaba said it was more of a commotion than a fight.

“But it is still totally unacceptable. There is no way ActionSA will allow such behaviour.

“If you bring ANC tendencies or try to resolve the issue by pushing other people and singing, it is unacceptable and we will not accept it as ActionSA,” he said.

“We are not an organisation of singers, we are an organisation that wants to solve the issues of this country.”

He said they were not stopping people from raising their issues.

“If you feel you are not happy with ActionSA, move on, no one is forced to be a member.”

He said the disciplinary teams were investigating the matter and those implicated would be dealt with appropriately.

“They will be former members,” Mashaba said.

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Political analyst Dr Ralph Mathekga said ActionSA was disintegrating, just as the Congress of the People had.

“What’s the difference, they did so well in the elections and raised hope and what happens? Dr Makhosi Khoza is gone now,” he said.

Mathekga said ActionSA was new and this demonstrated what it meant to build a new party. Political analyst Piet Croucamp said it was only to be expected there would be indecision in the party.

“They approached a bunch of people together to establish the organisation in the election and exceeded their own expectations,” he said.

Croucamp said there was now a rush for opportunities in the party.

“There are now high expectations because they did well in the election and there are many more posts available,” he said.

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But he saw the party as experiencing growing pains, rather than as falling apart.

“I spoke to Bongani Baloyi, the former mayor of Midvaal who joined ActionSA, earlier. I think he’s the type of guy who will address this stuff once he has rooted himself,” he said.

He said ActionSA was likely to recruit politicians from other parties.

“I think they have a good chance in the next elections,” he said.