Solly Msimanga (born 18 June 1972) is a South African politician and former municipal leader. He is best known for serving as the Executive Mayor of the City of Tshwane (Pretoria) from August 2016 until December 2019. Msimanga has been affiliated with the Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa’s principal opposition party, and later co‑founded the political party ActionSA.
Early life and education
- Born in the Soweto township of Johannesburg, South Africa.
- Attended the University of Pretoria, where he earned a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree.
Political career
| Year | Position / Activity |
|---|---|
| 2009–2011 | Served as Director of Communications for the South African Department of Transport. |
| 2011–2012 | Appointed Chief of Staff to the then‑Mayor of Tshwane, a role that involved overseeing municipal administration. |
| 2014 | Elected as a Member of the Gauteng Provincial Legislature representing the DA. |
| 2015 | Elected as the DA’s mayoral candidate for the City of Tshwane in the 2016 municipal elections. |
| 2016 (August) | Became Executive Mayor of Tshwane after the DA formed a coalition government with smaller parties. |
| 2019 (December) | Removed from office following a motion of no confidence passed by the Tshwane City Council. |
| 2020 | Co‑founder of ActionSA, a new political party founded by former DA member Herman Mashaba, where Msimanga has held senior advisory and leadership roles. |
Key initiatives and controversies
- As mayor, Msimanga emphasized service delivery improvements, infrastructure development, and efforts to combat corruption within the municipality.
- His tenure was marked by frequent confrontations with the African National Congress (ANC)‑led opposition, culminating in the 2019 no‑confidence vote that ended his mayoralty.
- Following his removal, Msimanga continued to be an outspoken critic of both the DA’s internal dynamics and the ANC’s governance approach, advocating for a realignment of South Africa’s opposition politics.
Later activities
Since joining ActionSA, Msimanga has been active in national political discourse, participating in policy‑development workshops and campaigning in various electoral cycles. He remains a prominent figure in South African municipal and national politics.
