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ActionSA held its inaugural caucus meeting for its National Assembly Caucus at which Athol Trollip was elected as the Caucus Leader. 

Trollip has a long track record in public service, having previously served as an executive member of the Amathole District municipality, as the Executive Mayor of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality, and as parliamentary leader of the official opposition in the Eastern Cape provincial legislature and the National Assembly. 

In the environment in which the opposition has moved into a coalition led by the ANC, the role of the opposition is in jeopardy against the context of an ANC that has a track record of corruption and malfeasance. No party that receives positions, and the privileges and perks associated with positions, can hold the government to account. 

This is why ActionSA has a vital role to play as the rational centre of the opposition and this is why Trollip’s experience and leadership will be vital to the ActionSA National Assembly caucus. 

In his address to the caucus after his election, Trollip said:

“Our ActionSA Caucus is going to need to punch above its weight and serve the South African people in a way in which our presence is felt. We will set ourselves apart by being a constructive opposition, ensuring that in every decision and vote we represent the best interests of South Africans. Our party stood on a clear platform in this election, and we must now give expression to our commitments through this new and important foothold we have gained in national politics.”

On behalf of ActionSA supporters across the country, we rally behind Trollip and his team and offer them our full support in their important work in this 7th parliament of South Africa. 

Issued by ActionSA President Herman Mashaba