Serious allegations against Geordin Hill-Lewis’s DA

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba accused the Democratic Alliance (DA) of dirty tricks in Cape Town, linked to the mayoral candidate’s launch event.

On Saturday, 13 June 2026, the Democratic Alliance and ActionSA announced their mayoral candidates for Cape Town for 2026.

The Democratic Alliance’s candidate is Geordin Hill-Lewis, who has been serving as mayor of the city since 2021.

“I’ve loved every day of this job, and I love our city. Today I announced that I’m standing as the DA’s 2026 Mayoral Candidate for Cape Town,” Hill-Lewis said.

“Serving the Mother City over the past 5 years has been such a privilege. Together, we have built Cape Town into the City of Hope.”

He added that it was the most functional and successful city in South Africa, and that he wants to take Cape Town forward for all.

This, he said, included stronger policing, more jobs, reliable, affordable services, more affordable homes, and cleaner public spaces.

ActionSA’s candidate is Dereleen James, an ActionSA Member of Parliament and a well-known anti-drug and social activist.

“What majority government has bred in Cape Town is arrogance. They do whatever they want to do, because they feel they will be voted in election after election,” said ActionSA’s Michael Beaumont.

He added that residents of Cape Town deserve better than the arrogant DA government they have now.

Serious accusations against the DA in Cape Town

The DA and ActionSA events took place on the same day and at the same time at two venues close to each other in Hanover Park.

However, it was not without serious accusations against the Democratic Alliance about trying to sabotage the ActionSA event.

Mashaba said that over the last two to three weeks, they were unable to get a venue in every community in Cape Town.

“This included venues where we had already paid the deposits,” Mashaba said in a social media post.

“A few days after we booked, our deposits were returned, and the event was cancelled, without any reasonable explanation provided.”

He said that they finally managed to secure the venue they were using on Saturday, and started official announcements on Tuesday, 9 June 2026.

“To our surprise, on Wednesday, the DA announced their event in the same venue denied to us, in the same community and at the same time,” he said.

ActionSA’s new Cape Town mayoral candidate also accused the DA of underhanded tactics regarding the announcement venue.

“How petty, immature, and distasteful. You can write all the letters in the world to schools and venues to not grant us access. I am coming,” James said.

“The final disgrace was that the Democratic Alliance was setting up their launch event 2 minutes away from our venue.”

Mashaba added that, as ActionSA, it will not allow threats to stand in the way of our democratic rights.

---

DA announcement event

---

ActionSA announcement event

---