JOHANNESBURG — In a strategic political realignment ahead of the highly anticipated local government elections, former Build One South Africa (BOSA) Gauteng legislator Ayanda Allie has officially joined ActionSA. The announcement arrives just three months before the 2026 polls and on the eve of the final voter registration weekend, signaling a major push by the opposition party to consolidate its support base in key municipalities.
Allie’s transition to her new political home follows her expulsion from BOSA last week, a move that was the result of an internal disciplinary process. However, the newly minted ActionSA member emphasized that her defection was far from a hasty decision triggered by her dismissal.
According to Allie, who has been appointed as ActionSA’s 2026 Election Campaign ambassador for Gauteng municipalities, exploratory talks began well before her exit from the legislature.
“There were conversations with a couple of other organizations, but one didn’t quite feel as at home as one feels now in ActionSA,” Allie explained. She noted that the transition was not a “wake up in the morning, knee-jerk reaction” to being expelled. Instead, the move had been “time in the making,” stemming from engagements with the party’s president and various lawmakers over the past year to 18 months. Ultimately, she concluded that aligning with the party “actually makes sense.”
With exactly 14 weeks remaining until the local government elections, ActionSA leadership views Allie as a critical asset to their electoral strategy. Funzi Ngobeni, ActionSA’s Gauteng Chairperson, described the former legislator as a “force multiplier” who will provide an essential additional voice for the party on the campaign trail.
Ngobeni outlined that Allie’s primary focus will be on issue advocacy and driving core campaign messaging. She is tasked with championing specific issues identified by the provincial campaign team and will serve as the party’s representative during issue-based community engagements across the region.
The high-profile recruitment coincides with a broader surge in the party’s grassroots footprint. Michael Beaumont, ActionSA National Chairperson, revealed new data indicating that the party’s official membership rolls have now surpassed the total number of voters who cast ballots for ActionSA on the national ballot during the 2024 elections.
Beaumont highlighted the strategic importance of this milestone, noting that a robust membership base is the primary enabling factor for electoral success. “Members are the ones who go out and get voters, and their family members and their neighbors, to come out and vote,” Beaumont stated, adding that the milestone demonstrates the “rapid and aggressive growth path” the party is currently experiencing.
As the final voter registration weekend approaches, ActionSA remains confident that Allie’s legislative experience and community ties will add immense value to its campaigning strategy, ensuring a highly competitive showing in the upcoming 2026 local government elections.
