Xolani Khumalo, the ActionSA mayoral candidate for Ekurhuleni, was sworn in as a council member on Monday, vowing to start the battle to repair the problematic metro from within the council chambers.
The former Sizok’thola presenter was announced as a mayoral candidate on October 4 ahead of the 2026 local government elections.
Shortly after being sworn in, he said it was an honor to represent ActionSA and the people of Ekurhuleni as a councilor.
Khumalo stated that his years as a community activist had taught him the realities of combating crime on the ground, but he also underlined that governing required more in-depth understanding.
“Being a community activist and fighting crime is one thing, but governing is something else. It requires a firsthand understanding of how the systems and structures of a municipality like Ekurhuleni actually work,” Khumalo said.
He said his position on the council is a key step in ActionSA’s plan to lead the metro.
By serving on the council, he said he would be able to study the municipality’s operations closely, including its systems, challenges, and issues that should be prioritised.
Fight to fix Ekurhuleni has started
Khumalo noted the 10-point action plan he shared when he accepted ActionSA’s nomination for mayor, but he said the work could not wait.
“Since then, what’s become clear is that we can’t wait for an election to start that work. The fight to fix Ekurhuleni has to begin now.
“Our ambitious plans for this city can’t just be something we talk about during campaigns. It must start right here in this council—where the real decisions that affect our residents are made,” he said.
He also spoke about the murder of the municipality’s senior forensic auditor, Mpho Mafole, who was shot dead after exposing R1.8-billion in corruption, saying this reminded him of the promise to fight against criminals.
“Now that I am here, in this council … we will start the work to clean out those who masquerade as public servants while looting from our people.
“The fight to fix Ekurhuleni has just started, and I am ready to serve our communities with integrity and action.”
