By Marcus Moloko
Build One South Africa (Bosa), GOOD and RiseMzansi have officially joined forces to create a new political formation called Unite For Change.
The new party, which would be a single political entity ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections, will be registered with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
Unite For Change promises ethical leadership, better jobs, service delivery, and inclusive governance, according to Bosa leader Mmusi Maimane, who spoke at the party announcement media briefing on Sunday.
“When we are united, we can bring about change,” he said.
The leadership of the new incoming party will be spearheaded by Maimane (Bosa), Minister Patricia de Lille (GOOD), and Songezo Zibi (RiseMzansi).
Unite For Change will form a founding council to ensure its constitutional compliance, according to Maimane.
“In Unite For Change, we will grow the economy of cities,” said De Lille, who seconded Maimane’s comments at the briefing.
De Lille pledged to nurture job creation benefits while ensuring infrastructure was prioritised.
“Africa has been poorly led. People have lost faith in politicians. It is the old parties that have failed as a collective,” she added.
“I have experience in numerous political parties. I stand for universal justice, equality, and gender equality.”
The new party plans to prioritise municipal functions, roads, water, electricity, sanitation, and refuse removal, while promoting transparency and accountability.
While the political party ActionSA was initially part of merger talks, its leader, Herman Mashaba, firmly ruled out joining Unite For Change.
Mashaba announced on X that Xolani Khumalo, host of the controversial investigative show Sizok’thola, is ActionSA’s mayoral candidate for the City of Ekurhuleni ahead of the 2026 local government elections.
Both GOOD and Rise Mzansi remain part of the current Government of National Unity formed in 2024 after no party secured an outright majority in the general election.
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