'Frank and productive’: Mashaba meets Hill-Lewis as coalition talks continue - IOL
ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has met with Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Geordin Hill-Lewis, days after publicly questioning the possibility of working with the party in coalition governments following the 2026 Local Government Elections.
Mashaba announced the meeting on Thursday in a post on X, saying it formed part of ActionSA's engagements with other political parties.
“As part of ActionSA’s engagements with other political parties, I just had a frank and productive meeting with DA Leader Geordin Hill-Lewis,” Mashaba said.
He accompanied the post with a photograph showing the two leaders shaking hands.
The meeting comes after Mashaba publicly questioned whether ActionSA could work with the DA, citing what he described as racist elements within the party.
Speaking at the National Results Operations Centre in Midrand following the announcement of the election results, Mashaba said he could not support the DA in its current form.
“I can't support the racist. For 34 years of my life, my father, my grandparents lived under an oppressive, violent past. There's no way I'm going to let it repeat itself under my watch,” he said.
He later indicated that the possibility of working with the DA was not entirely closed, provided it addressed what he described as racist elements.
“I have options. I will work with the DA only if they remove the racists (elements). Honestly, my morality and value system say I can't support someone I know is racist. I would be betraying black people if I supported racists,” Mashaba said.
The DA has rejected claims that it is a racist party.
Thursday's engagement also follows a letter Mashaba sent to Hill-Lewis on November 7, proposing an arrangement aimed at breaking the deadlock over mayoral positions in Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni.
Mashaba proposed that he and DA federal chairperson Helen Zille withdraw from the Johannesburg mayoral race, allowing the DA to nominate another candidate who could secure ActionSA's support.
Under the proposed arrangement, the DA would retain the mayoral position in Johannesburg, while ActionSA would take the deputy mayor position.
For Tshwane, Mashaba proposed that DA mayoral candidate Cilliers Brink relinquish his council seat and that the DA support ActionSA's mayoral candidate, Dr Nasiphi Moya.
The proposal also opened the possibility of ActionSA supporting a DA mayoral candidate in Ekurhuleni.
The letter followed a telephone discussion between Mashaba and Hill-Lewis on November 7, during which Mashaba proposed that negotiations over the Gauteng metros begin as soon as possible.
ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont confirmed to IOL that Mashaba had sent the letter to the DA.
“I can confirm that Mr Mashaba sent a letter to the DA, but I can't speak much on it,” Beaumont said.
The negotiations come after the DA emerged as the leading party in Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni but failed to secure outright majorities in any of the three metropolitan municipalities.
The election results mean parties will need support from other political formations to elect mayors and establish governing administrations.
DA national spokesperson Jan de Villiers previously told IOL that the party would not conduct coalition negotiations through the media.
He said the DA's Federal Executive had resolved to engage political parties in municipalities where no party had secured an outright majority.
“These principles will form the foundation of our approach to coalition negotiations,” de Villiers said, referring to the party's commitment to clean and accountable government, fighting corruption, service delivery, the rule of law and non-racialism.
“Our objective is to establish stable, effective governments that put residents first, restore accountability, and deliver the services communities deserve,” he said.
Mashaba has not disclosed what was discussed during Thursday's meeting with Hill-Lewis or whether the engagement resulted in any agreement between the two parties.
