Herman Mashaba

Herman Samtseu Philip Mashaba (born 26 August 1959) is a South African politician, entrepreneur and the current president of ActionSA, a party he launched on 29 August 2020.

It was launched on Valentine's Day in 1985 with a R30000 loan from Mashaba's friend, businessman Walter Dube.

Mashaba later bought out Kriel and Molwantwa.

Later that day, he was sworn in as the Mayor of Johannesburg, the first non-ANC Johannesburg mayor since 1994.

In 2002 Black like me launched in the UK this meant that Mashaba made history as owner and CEO of the first black owned South African company to sell its products in the UK and international markets.

Over the years he has invested and has business interests in various sectors: mining, construction, exhibitions, real estate, security, aviation and IT.

Mashaba is also a music lover.

After five years of secret lessons, he revealed himself as a pianist.

From 2012 until May 2014, Mashaba served as chairman of the Free Market Foundation (FMF).

He stepped down from his position when he joined the Democratic Alliance as an "ordinary card-carrying member", citing the need for the Foundation to remain politically impartial.

Mashaba announced in December 2015 that he would accept a nomination to stand as a Democratic Alliance mayoral candidate for the City of Johannesburg in the 2016 local government elections.

The other possible DA candidate was Rabelani Dagada.

He served as the Mayor of Johannesburg from 2016 to 2019.

He is the founder of the hair product company Black Like Me.

He is famous in South Africa for his background: he grew up struggling against poverty, and claims to have struggled against the apartheid government, to open his own hair business, which became the biggest hair brand in South Africa, making him a millionaire.

He publicly backed Mmusi Maimane in the Democratic Alliance leadership race.

He wrote the autobiography Black Like You and his campaign manager, Michael Beaumont, recently published a biography called "The Accidental Mayor".

Mashaba refers to himself as a libertarian and "capitalist crusader" whose highest value is "individual freedom."

On 22 August 2016, Mashaba was elected Mayor of Johannesburg by the first sitting of the city council following countrywide local government elections.

In the municipal election on 3 August 2016, the ruling party, The African National Congress, lost their majority in Johannesburg, taking only 44.12% of the vote with the Democratic alliance taking 38.33%.

The Democratic Alliance entered into conversations with the Economic Freedom Fighters to form a coalition.

Whilst the EFF declined the offer, they agreed that they would vote for Mashaba as the Mayor of Johannesburg, despite misgivings.

On 22 August 2016, Mashaba was sworn in as a Johannesburg City Councillor.

He announced his resignation on 21 October 2019 and left office on 27 November 2019.

After launching his new party, Mashaba announced he would run for Mayor of Johannesburg again in the 2021 municipal elections, this time as the ActionSA candidate.

Mashaba was brought up in near-poverty in GaRamotse in Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria by his sisters while his mother worked to provide for the family.

His older brother dropped out of school at 15, moving from one unsubstantial job to another.

Mashaba realised that acquiring an education would be crucial for him to break out of the cycle of poverty.

He graduated from high school but did not complete his tertiary education.

His first two jobs were as a clerk at Spar and then at a furniture manufacturer.

After two years he was able to buy a car.

He started selling "SuperKurl" African hair-care products and became their number-one earner.

He soon realised that these products excited him and that he wasn't content to be just an employee.

He partnered with his white Afrikaner colleague at SuperKurl Johan Kriel and fellow salesman Joseph Molwantwa to launch the company, Black Like Me.

On 21 October 2019, he announced his resignation as mayor because of differences with DA party leadership.

His resignation took effect on 27 November 2019.

Mashaba has characterised the ANC's post-Apartheid labour laws as "draconian".

He led a Constitutional Court challenge by the FMF, arguing that Section 32 of the Labour Relations Act is unconstitutional.

The FMF argued that the bargaining council process reduces competition, as smaller businesses may not be able to afford the higher wages agreed on between larger businesses and unions, contributing further to South Africa's unemployment rate.