In a significant political realignment, ActionSA has formally merged with two smaller parties—the Azanian Independent Community Movement (AICM) and the Creatives Congress Movement (CMM) — to contest the upcoming 2026 Local Government Elections under a single banner.
The alliance was announced by the leaders of the three organizations during a joint interview. ActionSA’s Herman Mashaba was joined by Wiseman Dibakwe, President of the AICM, and Tshepo Mashiane (also known as musician William “Ted” Tladinyane), who leads the Creatives Congress Movement.
Mashaba framed the merger as part of ActionSA’s “green umbrella” strategy, conceived last year to consolidate smaller parties. He stated the goal is to pool resources and capacity to strengthen their electoral challenge. He revealed that the first party brought into this arrangement was the Forum for Service Delivery, and that ActionSA now has “close to 50” councillors from these partnerships who will eventually contest elections under the ActionSA name before their original parties deregister with the IEC.
Wiseman Dibakwe of the AICM, which brings seven councillors from the North West province into the merger, described the arrangement as a “mutual cooperation agreement.” He emphasized the intent is to unify scattered parties with similar visions to increase their impact. Dibakwe stated he joins as an “ordinary member” of ActionSA without expectation of a specific position, asserting his goal is to better deliver services to communities.
Tshepo Mashiane, representing the creative sector, addressed concerns about artists losing their independent voice by aligning with a political party. He cited Mashaba’s long-standing support for artists over more than a decade, including on issues like royalty disputes, as the reason for their alliance. Mashiane expressed confidence that together they would “change this industry.”
When challenged on whether the move was less a merger and more an acquisition of smaller parties, Mashaba insisted it was a “merger in the true sense.” He noted that Dibakwe would serve on ActionSA’s Provincial Committee in the North West and could join national structures. Mashaba argued that leaders were joining not for positions, but because having a handful of councillors in large municipalities left them “swallowed and not really having a voice,” whereas ActionSA offers greater capacity.
Dibakwe echoed this, stating his research showed no conflict between the AICM’s community-based vision and ActionSA’s national vision, suggesting a complementary relationship where grassroots work is directed under a national executive.
In a brief comment on immediate coalition politics, Mashaba confirmed that ActionSA councillors in the City of Johannesburg would abstain from an impending motion of no confidence against the mayor, stating, “We’re not interested in their politics.”
The merger represents a concerted effort to reduce the fragmentation of the opposition landscape before the 2026 polls, with ActionSA positioning itself as a consolidating force for smaller parties and community movements.