Build One South Africa
Build One South Africa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation | BOSA |
| Leader | Mmusi Maimane |
| Chairperson | Khusta Jack |
| Spokesperson | Sbu Zondi |
| Deputy Leader | Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster |
| Founder | Mmusi Maimane Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster Hlumelo Biko |
| Founded | September 24, 2022 |
| Split from | Democratic Alliance |
| Headquarters | Sandton, Johannesburg |
| Ideology | Liberalism (South African)[1] Ubuntu[2] |
| Political position | Centre |
| National Assembly | 2 / 400 |
| National Council of Provinces | 0 / 90 |
| Pan-African Parliament | 0 / 5 (South African seats) |
| Provincial Legislatures | 1 / 487 |
| Website | |
| https://www.bosa.co.za | |
Build One South Africa (BOSA), officially registered as Build One South Africa With Mmusi Maimane,[3] is a South African political party. It is led by Mmusi Maimane, the leader of the One SA Movement and the former leader of the Democratic Alliance. BOSA secured two parliamentary seats in the National Assembly at the 2024 National and Provincial Elections.
History
The party was launched on 24 September 2022 in Naledi, Soweto.[4] The deputy leader is Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster, founder and convener of the South African Women’s Commission. The chairperson of the party is the current Nelson Mandela Bay deputy mayor Mkhuseli Jack.
The party contested its first by-election in October 2023, winning 1% of the vote in the ward one election in Sol Plaatje Local Municipality.[5]
The party contested the 2024 general election as an "umbrella organisation" for independent candidates.[6] Maimane stood as the party's presidential candidate in the elections.[7] The party received around 0.4% of the national vote in the election.[8]
Merger
On 5 October 2025, the party announced its merger with Good and Rise Mzansi to form Unite for Change, a new party that was intended to be registered to contest the 2026 municipal elections. Build One South Africa will continue to exist independently until the 2029 national elections, after which it will fully merge into the new party.[9]
The merger was put on hold in April 2026, with the three parties stating that "it cannot be implemented effectively under the pressure of an election campaign. As a result, the parties have determined that the best option is to contest the 2026 local government elections individually and pursue consolidation afterward".
In the meantime, BOSA merged with the People's Prosperity Movement, a small party based in the Western-Cape .[10]
Mandela and Sisula descendants
In June 2026, the party announced that members of two of the countries most influential political families, Thembela Mandela and Ziyeka Sisulu, the grandchildren of Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu respectively, had joined the party, and would be contesting the 2026 South African municipal elections as ward candidates for the City of Johannesburg.[11]
Election results
National Assembly elections
| Election | Party leader | Total votes | Share of vote | Seats | +/– | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Mmusi Maimane | 65,912 | 0.41%[a] | 2 / 400 |
New | Opposition |
- ↑ From 2024, seats in the National Assembly are determined by a combination of the national ballot, and the nine regional ballots. Only the national ballot figures are shown here.
National Council of Provinces elections
| Election | Total # of seats won |
+/– | Government |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 0 / 90 |
New | Extra-parliamentary |
Provincial elections
| Election[12] | Eastern Cape | Free State | Gauteng | Kwazulu-Natal | Limpopo | Mpumalanga | North-West | Northern Cape | Western Cape | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | Seats | % | Seats | % | Seats | % | Seats | % | Seats | % | Seats | % | Seats | % | Seats | % | Seats | |
| 2024 | 0.18 | 0/73 | 0.35 | 0/30 | 0.76 | 1/80 | 0.13 | 0/80 | 0.26 | 0/64 | 0.19 | 0/51 | 0.44 | 0/38 | 0.25 | 0/30 | 0.41 | 0/42 |
References
- ↑ "Who are South Africa's presidential candidates?". DW. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
- ↑ McKenna, A.. "Build One South Africa." Encyclopedia Britannica, June 3, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Build-One-South-Africa.
- ↑ "Political Parties Statistics - Electoral Commission of South Africa". www.elections.org.za. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
- ↑ siyamtanda.capa. "Maimane's new party for political change". www.iol.co.za. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
- ↑ Sussman, Wayne (12 October 2023). "October by-elections: EFF, PA upset ANC in Mpumalanga, N Cape". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
- ↑ "'We must put a job in every home': Maimane launches Build One SA party". TimesLIVE. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
- ↑ Masungwini, Norman. "Maimane returns to politics with Bosa". Citypress. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
- ↑ Shiko, Cliff (1 June 2024). "Bosa disappointed by results, but satisfied with electoral process". Jacaranda FM. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
- ↑ Goba, Thabiso. "Bosa, Rise Mzansi, and Good Party have united to form 'Unite for Change'". EWN. Retrieved 5 October 2025.
- ↑ Ludidi, Velani. "'Unite for Change' stalls as BOSA breaks ranks with new merger". News24. Retrieved 14 April 2026.
- ↑ Masilela, Sinenhlanhla (4 June 2026). "Sisulu and Mandela grandchildren join BOSA as Joburg councillor candidates". IOL. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
- ↑ "NPE Results Dashboard 2024". results.elections.org.za. Retrieved 15 June 2024.