ActionSA leader and former Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba has sparked a fierce backlash after publicly urging South Africa to withdraw from BRICS, a position that appears to contradict his party’s official 2024 policy stance. The controversy erupted following Mashaba’s recent remarks, in which he questioned the value of South Africa’s membership in the bloc and suggested the country should reconsider its alignment with the grouping of major emerging economies.
Mashaba’s comments stand in direct opposition to ActionSA’s stated policy, adopted in 2024, which commits the party to remaining within BRICS while prioritising South Africa’s national interests. The dissonance has drawn sharp criticism from political opponents and commentators, who accuse Mashaba of inconsistency and opportunism.
South Africa has been a member of BRICS since 2010, and the grouping has delivered tangible benefits, including increased trade and investment ties with member states such as India, as well as access to infrastructure funding through the New Development Bank. Critics of Mashaba’s position argue that leaving BRICS would isolate South Africa and undermine its role as a leader in the Global South.
Social media reaction has been swift and divided. Some users labelled Mashaba a “sellout” and accused him of pandering to Western interests, while others dismissed the debate as a distraction from the issues that matter most to voters ahead of the local government elections—service delivery, roads, water, and safety in cities like Johannesburg.
Mashaba has yet to clarify whether his personal views reflect a shift in ActionSA’s policy or are merely a provocation for debate. For now, the controversy adds another layer of complexity to an already crowded political landscape, where foreign policy rarely features in municipal campaigns. Whether the BRICS debate resonates with voters—or fades into the noise—remains to be seen. But for Mashaba, the backlash is a reminder that in South African politics, consistency is a currency that cannot be easily spent.
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