Bongani Baloyi has confirmed that his relationship with ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has come to an end over differences arising from the running of provincial structures and distrust.
Baloyi explained during a media briefing on Monday after news of his resignation broke that he parted ways with the party because he refused to be a pushover.
He stated that he left the DA in 2021 because he felt it was time for change and wanted to join a party that would broad appeal to all South Africans.
However, he was surprised to find that Mashaba seemed more interested in personalising the party rather than building strong institutional foundations.
When he joined ActionSA, said Baloyi, he recognised that the party had weaknesses and felt it was his duty to use his experience from working with an established party to help strengthen it.
As the chairperson in Gauteng, he made it his mission to empower more leaders within the party, as he believed that one of ActionSA’s major weaknesses was its lack of understanding when it came to building strong organisational structures.
He said because of his commitment, four of the party’s five regions in the province now have dedicated regional leaders, a significant accomplishment that helps ensure that ActionSA is well-structured and well-equipped to serve all South Africans.
“I am knowledgeable, I know how to build structures,” he said.
“I got into ActionSA understanding its weaknesses and where there were weaknesses, I took it upon myself to close those weaknesses with something that’s all the value. I always contributed value to ActionSA.
“In Gauteng, the party has five regions. Out of those five regions and counting, four have regional executives. That is something I have done to stabilise the structures.
“I was intentional to take a posture insofar as national leadership, to say to them [national leadership] devolve more power to the structures. Devolving more power to the structures meant embarking on a journey to start democratisation within the part.”
Baloyi said he knew that his approach would create tension, however, he was “intentional” and not moved because “it was important for me to hold that posture to persuade and influence”.
He expressed concern that power within ActionSA was concentrated solely among top officials, and he believed that it was crucial to democratise the party’s structures to empower more members.
He emphasized that in politics, being a bystander is not an option and that every member should have a voice in shaping the party’s direction and policies.
“I told Mashaba and [Michael] Beaumont to give them power because power resides at the top only and you’ve got these structures below who just remain bystanders, and you cannot do anything as a bystander in politics.
“So I fought and championed the battle of devolving power to the structures. I believe that may have also created some tension, but tension in politics is a normal thing,” he said.
Baloyi said he was surprised by how Mashaba handled the tension between them.
He shared that he has had disagreements with other leaders in the past, including national chairperson Beaumont, but they always found a way to communicate and work towards a resolution.
However, Mashaba chose to remain silent and surprised him during a meeting by stating that there were “irreconcilable differences” between them, he said.
Despite his frustration with ActionSA’s incompetence and the leader’s insecurities, Baloyi explained that he was still willing to work towards improving the party for the benefit of voters.
However, he became increasingly fed-up when Mashaba revealed that he would be demoted from his position as provincial chairperson and offered the role of national spokesperson instead.
“Mashaba and Beaumont called me for a meeting and Mashaba told me that he believed that there is a breakdown of a relationship between us and that it is irreconcilable.
“He said to me because ‘I don’t trust you and with our relationship having deteriorated, I want to move you as the provincial chairperson and appoint you as national spokesperson’.
“I was baffled at that moment, because I could not understand how you can say there’s a trust issue in our relationship and that it has broken down, yet you still want to appoint me in a position that works with you every day.”
Following Mashaba’s decision to demote him, Baloyi asked for time to consider his options. He consulted with other party leaders, who helped him come to the realisation that he was no longer a valued member of the party.
“They said ‘we don’t believe that you are still needed in this party. How do you remain in this party when the president says he does not trust you and the relationship is beyond repair, it does not make any sense’,” he said.
Baloyi observed that there were already signs of division within the party, as they were no longer presenting a united front.
He said, for instance, there were occasions when he and Mashaba would both attend separate events within the same province.
Baloyi expressed his concerns to Beaumont and asked him to urge Mashaba to prioritise united public engagements.
“Well today I met with Herman and Michael and I told them that I applied my mind. [I told them that] I have engaged with many leaders as well and I have taken a decision to decline their offer and subsequently I am resigning from the party.
“I think that [was] the big moment for me.
“It is important for young people to start seeing different examples of leaders who thrive, leaders who are agitated just like that, because changing the political system will require young people to do that.
“Young people who will not sit in the corner and be told to just be happy with the position of national spokesperson.
“I am not that generation. I don’t represent that generation. I have got a strong name; I have a strong brand and I have delivered things in local government that no other leader in this country has delivered in a [short] space of time [that] I have been there.
“I have proven to anybody beyond any doubt that young people can lead … I am not going to allow that to happen to me, my destiny is in my hands, firmly in my hands.
“Nobody can take away my education, nobody can take away my experience.”
Baloyi did not reveal his next political move, jokingly telling the media to consult with sangomas (traditional healers) to find out.
Also read: Mounting tension pushes Baloyi out of ActionSA leadership
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