Herman Mashaba adamant that his party will be ready to contest 2021 elections

Following months of speculation about the nature of his unceremonious exit from the Democratic Alliance (DA) and his new found bond with the former leader and member of the DA Mmusi Maimane, Herman Mashaba has finally confirmed what many had already assumed; that he will be starting his own political party.

Mashaba confirmed the news in an exclusive interview with the City Press where he maintained that his new party, which will officially be launching at the end of June, will be ready to contest the 2021 municipal elections.

What he could not confirm, however, is whether or not Dr Makhosi Khoza and Maimane will be joining him on this new venture.

Both Khoza and Maimane were guests at the people’s dialogues that Mashaba was hosting in venues across the province in the months following his exit from the DA.

These events were thought to be covert focus groups for the formation of this new party whose guiding principles will be the eradication of corruption and poverty.

According to Mashaba, his desire to start a “people-driven” party that will be “free from the constraints of political ideology and political self-interest” is what will set his new formation apart from the options already available on the political landscape.

It is this desire that led him to host the people’s dialogues where he collected “input” from ordinary South Africans that he says will now guide the conduct of his party. The series of events will come to an end next month, following which Mashaba will release a report on the findings gathered during this process.

Anyone is welcome to join the party but they former Mayor of the City of Johannesburg insists that they will undergo a rigorous screening process, especially if they have already been working as a politician.

Mashaba’s new venture has received the blessing of former DA Federal Chair Athol Trollip who stepped down from the party alongside Maimane last year.

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