'No saviour is coming, South Africans must unite for change' - GOOD

A new political coalition, Unite for Change, has emerged in South Africa, bringing together Build One South Africa (BOSA), GOOD and Rise Mzansi to contest the 2026 local government elections.

The alliance aims to combat voter fatigue and political fragmentation by promoting social democracy, ethical leadership, and constitutional justice.

GOOD's Secretary-General, Brett Herron, says this alliance aims to overcome voter fatigue and political fragmentation by consolidating like-minded groups that share common values of social democracy, ethical leadership, and constitutional justice.

Herron adds that the coalition rejects 'politics of populism, racism and extremism', instead seeking to 'redefine the centre' around Chapter 2 of South Africa’s Constitution, which he describes as a 'social justice manifesto' that governments have failed to deliver on.

He dismisses suggestions that egos or leadership battles could derail the project, saying the movement is guided by collective leadership rather than 'political celebrity'.

"The merger is strategic, in that it arises out of the fragmentation of our political landscape; voters are fatigued with the constant launching of new parties that have formed from the splintering off of political celebrities who go on these listening tours to ask South Africa what they want to do and inevitably start a new party.

"By the time we fully launch our election campaign, we expect that there will be other parties and South Africans who have not been part of the political process who are also on board. It is a strategic move, but it is also in response to the proliferation of political parties and parties that have similar values, who share similar visions for our country.

"There is a call to South Africans to unite for change. We are demonstrating this by uniting ourselves, but it is also calling to action South Africans who have become fatigued with politics that have failed them, politics that are full of rhetoric, to unite with us and work with us to change South Africa.

"There is no saviour coming. We are the saviours."

To listen to Brett Herron in conversation with CapeTalk's Clarence Ford, use the audio player below: