ActionSA
ActionSA has been accused of undermining municipal integrity in Rustenburg ahead of the 2026 elections, with claims that the party launched an indecent public attack on the town’s Municipal Manager, Advocate Ashmar Khuduge, alleging financial misconduct without presenting a single substantiated claim of criminal intent or unlawful enrichment.
The accusations come from Untold Stories RSA Network, a group focused on highlighting overlooked issues in South African governance, which described ActionSA’s actions as blatant character assassination dressed in legalese to score brownie points with voters. In a strongly worded statement, the network argued that this is not oversight but a cheap and pathetically desperate move as parties gear up for next year’s local government polls. “Let us be clear: Rustenburg is governed by the African National Congress (ANC), and Advocate Khuduge serves not as a politician, but as a professional legal officer bound by the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) and the Constitution. His role demands not only legal compliance but also real-world responsiveness to the urgent needs of residents — needs that cannot always be met by rigid bureaucratic formulas which ActionSA well know,” the statement read. [33]
The controversy erupted after ActionSA laid criminal charges against Khuduge at the Rustenburg police station on 30 July 2025. The party, represented by its president Herman Mashaba and local councillors, alleged fraud, corruption, and financial misconduct linked to over R335 million in irregular expenditure. According to ActionSA, this stemmed from the municipality’s failure to prevent unauthorised spending, non-compliance with procurement rules, and abuse of power under section 114 of the MFMA, which allows for emergency procurement in certain cases but requires strict justification. [19] Mashaba, a former Johannesburg mayor known for his tough stance on corruption, stated that the party had declared graft as public enemy number one and would root it out wherever it occurs. “It’s time to fix Rustenburg,” ActionSA posted on social media, sharing videos and photos from the police station where the charges were filed. [17]
Untold Stories RSA Network hit back hard, saying ActionSA cherry-picked from Auditor-General reports and financial notes to paint a picture of wrongdoing, yet failed to show any personal gain by Khuduge or that he acted outside his mandate. “The MFMA: Law with Discretion, Not Dogma,” the network titled part of its response, explaining that the act permits flexibility in extraordinary situations, especially for service delivery like water and sanitation that cannot wait for endless debates. “Section 114, which they cite, is not a prohibition but a mechanism for emergency procurement when lives and dignity are on the line. Maybe the dignity of Black people is not important to them who stay in white middle class areas of Rustenburg,” it added, suggesting racial undertones in the attack. [33]
Rustenburg Local Municipality, in North West province, has long battled financial woes. Auditor-General reports for the 2023/24 financial year flagged R335 million in irregular expenditure, including tenders for infrastructure projects that bypassed standard processes. This included R10.4 million in unauthorised legal fees and contracts for water supply and road repairs that were extended without proper approval.  The municipality, home to major mining operations and birthplace of Boer leader Paul Kruger, serves over 600,000 people but faces ongoing protests over poor services. Just days after the charges, on 1 August 2025, residents in an informal settlement near Zinniaville threw stones and set a municipal vehicle alight, forcing officials to abandon a programme to cut energy losses and fix infrastructure.  These incidents highlight the pressure on Khuduge, who must balance legal rules with urgent needs like fixing potholes and providing basic amenities in a town divided by factional politics.
Khuduge, a qualified advocate with years in public service, has faced scrutiny before. In October 2024, a special council meeting was called to probe claims he bypassed recruitment policies for staff hires, leading to calls for his suspension.  Despite this, he remains in his post as the accounting officer, responsible for financial decisions under the MFMA. The law holds such officers accountable for misuse of funds, but also gives them leeway to act in crises, provided they record reasons and report to council. Untold Stories stressed that Khuduge operates under immense pressure from factional tensions and a divided council, yet upholds professionalism. “Political Hyenas in the Arena of Governance,” the network labelled ActionSA, accusing them of ambush tactics by going public and to police without first using internal council channels or engaging the speaker. 
ActionSA, founded by Mashaba after leaving the Democratic Alliance (DA) in 2019, positions itself as a no-nonsense party against corruption. It has former DA figures like Athol Trollip in its ranks and has grown in urban areas by promising ethical governance. In Rustenburg, where the ANC holds a slim majority, ActionSA has councillors pushing for accountability. The party’s North West branch shared updates on the charges, with provincial leaders like Ofentse Kombe discussing the case on radio shows.  However, critics say this move smacks of electioneering, especially with 2026 looming. Untold Stories called it cowardly to target a non-political civil servant, suggesting if real evidence existed, ActionSA would have gone straight to court instead of media spectacle. “Their targeting of Advocate Khuduge, a legal professional with no political mandate, is cowardly. If ActionSA truly had evidence of corruption, they would pursue it through the courts, not the media. Knowing them well they would have gone to the police station in Braamfontein and lay a charge in full view of the world media,” the network said. 
The network went further, questioning ActionSA’s moral compass and leadership. “Instead, they resort to public spectacle, hoping to tarnish the ANC by proxy. This is not the behavior of principled opposition — it is the desperation of a party that has lost its moral compass, it is just sad that Athol Trollip a trule great leader lets himself be dragged down the gutter by Herman Mashaba.” It warned that such attacks set a dangerous precedent, making it easier to break down institutions than build them—the very flaw ActionSA accuses the ANC of having. 
Social media reactions have been mixed, with some praising ActionSA for holding officials accountable, while others see it as political games. One user noted the irony of ActionSA’s anti-corruption drive amid their own coalition dramas in other metros like Johannesburg, where they have been accused of blocking decisions for leverage.  Another highlighted past tensions, like ActionSA’s role in ousting DA mayors and voting with the ANC in some councils. 
Untold Stories called for a responsible opposition that understands the MFMA, respects processes, and uses evidence over fury. “We must ask: what kind of opposition targets civil servants instead of policies? What kind of party lays charges in the press before the courts? What kind of leadership attacks the person instead of the process? Talk about playing the man and not the ball.” It suggested that if the attack was not sanctioned by Mashaba, ActionSA’s leadership should discipline the local councillors involved, as they risk making the party look bad by questioning a respected figure in Rustenburg.  “If these political hyenas were sincere they would privately speak to the MM and tell him his mistakes and not tell it to others in public, because his mistakes are to be corrected by him and not by others.”
The statement ended with an African proverb: “When the jackals howl, the shepherd does not abandon the flock. He tightens his grip, steadies his gaze, and walks forward.” As South Africa heads towards 2026, this spat underscores the high stakes in local governance, where fights over integrity can sway votes but also erode trust in public institutions. Police have confirmed the charges are under investigation, but no arrests have been made yet.  For Rustenburg residents, the real issue remains better services, not political noise.
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