Off the back of the launch of its 2024 election manifesto, ActionSA has released its candidate lists for the National Assembly and all provincial legislatures, describing the line-up as diverse, with an “infusion of youth excellence” and “the necessary industry skills and experience needed to lead important portfolios in the National Assembly”.

Following interviews with every candidate that met the party’s requirements for education, experience, and ethics and values, ActionSA announced Herman Mashaba as its Presidential Candidate; Athol Trollip for Land and Agriculture; Dr Tsholofelo Mafora for Basic Education; Dr Kgosi Letlape for Health, Dereleen James for Substance Abuse; Alan Beesley for Finance; Dr Tutu Faleni for High Education; Lerato Ngobeni for Home Affairs; Mohammed Rafeek Shah for Defence; Solly Moeng for International Relations; Pieter Scribante for Economic Development; Nompumelelo Edward for Public Service; Sello Lediga for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs; Mpho Madisha for Energy; Advocate Julie Seaton for Justice and Correctional Services; Thuli Khoza for Police; and Nothukela Makohliso for Social Development.

“ActionSA’s candidate lists provide for a number of candidates at least equal to 51% of the seats in the relevant legislature, however, in each instance a likely-to-be elected caucus has been defined based on conservative estimates of support ActionSA will receive on the different ballots. In the instance of the National List, the likely-to-be-elected caucus is a subset of the list that is based on the attainment of our election objectives. Within this conservative estimate, ActionSA will field what is likely to be the most diverse caucus in the history of the National Assembly with 80% of the likely-to-be-elected caucus being black, Indian or coloured South Africans. Forty per cent of this likely-to-be-elected caucus are female candidates and 31% are below the age of 40 years old,” explained ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont in a statement.

He added that diversity and merit were co-dependent principles of the party and said ActionSA had raised the “low bar”, set by the African National Congress, with credible and experienced people.