The Oppenheimer family's donations came in the form of a R15m ($824 000) contribution to the Democratic Alliance (DA) from Mary Slack daughter of Harry and Bridget Oppenheimer; and R10m ($555 000) from her three daughters in equal tranches for Herman Mashaba's ActionSA...

Current leaders who emerged strengthened in last year's local government elections such as ActionSA's Herman Mashaba the Patriotic Alliance's Gayton McKenzie and a long list of independent candidates are likely beneficiaries of the post-Zondo political mood...

Having eschewed both the EFF and former Mayor of Johannesburg Herman Mashaba and his Action SA party the DA now heads a shaky coalition of smaller parties running both Johannesburg and Tshwane (Pretoria)...

Others suggest that Herman Mashaba's Action SA and other small parties are more likely to capture ex-ANC voters...

Former ANC bastions such as Soweto are leaning towards new parties such as Herman Mashaba's Action SA and the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF)...

Yet there is a growing sense that ANC support is in irreversible decline and the most likely outcome of the 2024 national poll will be the ANC around 45% the Democratic Alliance on 20% the Economic Freedom Fighters 12-15%; other parties will pick up 20-25% led by Herman Mashaba's Action SA with 7% the Inkatha Freedom Party 6...

Newcomers such as Herman Mashaba's Action SA (2%) and Gayton McKenzie's Patriotic Front (PF) – and a plethora of independent candidates (10%) – make up the new more diverse political landscape...

The big winner among the smaller parties was Herman Mashaba's Action SA which was formed only a year ago but he failed to get the party's full name on the ballot paper after a dispute with the Independent Electoral Commission...

Herman Mashaba in another DA breakaway has registered his Action South Africa as a political party and is making an impact in the intensely contested metropolitan municipality of Tshwane which includes the administrative capital Pretoria (AC Vol 60 No 23 The DA's race dilemma)...

When Herman Mashaba was mayor of Johannesburg and with the DA he allegedly steered numerous lucrative contracts to companies connected to the EFF the DA's coalition partner in the city at the time (AC Vol 60 No 23 The DA's race dilemma)...