ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has promised to place power back in the hands of voters by launching what the party calls “a ground-breaking candidate election system” ahead of the 2021 local government elections.

The party is opening its candidate selection processes to Gauteng voters by turning it into a candidate election process.

While voters are not required to be ActionSA members, they must be a registered voter with South Africa’s Independent Electoral Commission.

Addressing a virtual media briefing on Tuesday, Mashaba said the time had come to change the country’s political system which he said encouraged party loyalty over accountability to the voter.

“For the very first time in South African politics, ActionSA is going to be the first party that partners with communities to elect the very best candidates to contest the 2021 Local Government Elections. As we speak, voters are already beginning to register on our online Direct Democracy portal and candidates are completing their applications to stand in our Candidate Elections,” he said.

Voters have until May 24 to register, before the local government elections begin on May 31.

The party is finalising the appointment of an accredited elections management company to audit the results of the candidate elections to ensure that they are open and credibly declared.

Through this process the party hopes to attract the best candidates for respective communities.

Mashaba warned that candidates would be expected to act in the best interest of their communities and added that they would be replaced if they failed to do so.

“There is no question that what we are starting here is a brave and bold undertaking… necessary to get South Africa on the right track and make progress in building an inclusive and prosperous country,” Mashaba stated.

He is hopeful that ActionSA will gain traction in the 2024 general elections to unseat the ruling African National Congress.