The Big Green Umbrella to Make Freedom Work for South Africans

On this Freedom Day, we honour the struggle that secured our democracy while confronting the reality that for many South Africans, freedom has yet to translate into dignity, opportunity, and a functioning state.

After decades under the leadership of the African National Congress, the promise of freedom has been undermined by failing service delivery, rising unemployment, and weakening institutions. South Africans are not imagining the decline, they are living it.

At the same time, the political landscape has become increasingly fragmented, with competing interests replacing clear direction and accountability.

It is in this context that ActionSA has taken deliberate steps to build a credible, structured alternative.

Over recent months, we have advanced our national expansion with the intention of announcing mayoral candidates across multiple provinces and identifying leaders who are grounded, capable, and ready to govern. The introduction of candidates such as Mary Phadi forms part of a broader effort to ensure that where ActionSA contests, it does so with leadership that can translate public support into real outcomes.

Our approach is strategic. We are focusing on municipalities where we can secure meaningful representation and build a strong governance presence. This is about depth, not noise. These efforts are being consolidatedunder the Big Green Umbrella, a growing platform that is bringing together ethical leadership, civic formations, and South Africans committed to clean governance and service delivery. The momentum around this initiative is evident, with growing engagement and a clear appetite for a political approach that is organised and focused on results.

With the Big Green Umbrella, we are already developing a fresh blueprint for governance at a local level, one that prioritises delivery, accountability, and coordination. We are doing so while others remain trapped in outdated, winner-take-all approaches that have failed to respond to the realities of a changing political landscape.

We are clear about the kind of leadership we are building. Leaders who put South Africans first. Leaders who understand the importance of restoring the rule of law, securing our borders, and ensuring that the benefits of freedom are realised by those who call this country home.

We are equally clear that this stance will attract criticism. We will be labelled and challenged. But if standing firm on what is right for South Africans invites that response, then it is a responsibility we accept.

Our doors remain open to all who are prepared to contribute to this effort in good faith and in the interest of the country.

As we continue to bring ethical leadership together under the Big Green Umbrella, we ask South Africans to meet us halfway. On this Freedom Day, we call on South Africans to move beyond reflection and take practical steps to shape the future. Register to vote. Verify your registration. Participate in the electoral process. Freedom must be exercised to have meaning.

The expansion of this work is ongoing. More leaders will be announced. More communities will be reached. More is coming for ActionSA, and for South Africans who are ready to see freedom work in practice. ActionSA will continue to build a political centre focused on delivery, accountability, and real change to ensure that freedom works in practice.

ActionSA Electoral Debut: First contested the 2021 Local Government Elections.