OPINION: Herman Mashaba’s Track Record Makes Him the Definitive Choice for Johannesburg Mayor

ActionSA's Michael Beaumont argues that Herman Mashaba's 2016–2019 track record in Johannesburg proves he is the only mayor capable of fixing service delivery.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 18, 2026, 9:39 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from EyeWitness News

The Case for a Service-Delivery Centric Leadership

In a political climate often dominated by identity politics and ethnic appeals, Michael Beaumont, the Interim National Chairperson for ActionSA, posits that the upcoming Johannesburg mayoral election should be decided on a single metric: tangible results. Beaumont asserts that the city’s current state of despair requires a leader who prioritizes "boots on the ground" over empty promises. He presents Herman Mashaba not as a candidate of rhetoric, but as a seasoned administrator whose previous term from 2016 to 2019 remains the gold standard for modern municipal governance in South Africa's economic hub.

Proven Metrics: From Infrastructure to Energy Stability

Beaumont details a series of data-driven successes from Mashaba’s time in office to support his claim. Under Mashaba's leadership, the city redirected roughly R2 billion annually from non-essential expenditures—such as international travel and self-promotion—toward core services. This fiscal discipline resulted in a measurable decline in power outages and water leaks. Specifically, Mashaba’s administration replaced 200 km of water pipes annually, a stark contrast to the current government's reported 17 km per year. Additionally, 900 km of the city’s roads were resurfaced in just three years, addressing critical infrastructure decay.

Law Enforcement and the Fight Against Systemic Corruption

A cornerstone of the Mashaba era was the expansion of the Metro Police by 1,500 officers, a 50% increase that bolstered visible policing across the city. Beaumont also highlights the establishment of the city’s first dedicated anti-corruption unit. Staffed by former investigators and forensic accountants, this unit investigated over 6,000 cases of maladministration, leading to 900 arrests. For Beaumont, this proactive stance on lawlessness and graft remains a unique selling point for Mashaba in a city still grappling with institutional "capture" and decay.