Mmusi Maimane, leader of Build One South Africa (BOSA), was the inaugural guest on Conversation Sense, a new podcast series from The Common Sense.

In a wide-ranging interview, Maimane offered his insights on the 2024 national election, the prospects for co-operation between BOSA, Rise Mzansi, and GOOD, and the country’s ongoing employment crisis.

Maimane described The Common Sense as a noble initiative, saying it was essential for South Africans to “hear about their country in a sensible manner.” He restated his goal of seeing “a job in every home,” underlining employment as the central national priority.

Maimane also countered the argument that supporting a smaller party like BOSA is a wasted vote, noting that in an era of coalition politics, voters can give power to parties that “hold the balance of power in a sensible way.”

He was sharply critical of the Government of National Unity’s record on jobs, claiming that it “has no clue.” Maimane argued that real change can only come when voters use the ballot to provide new parties with a mandate, stating, “You change policy by giving voters an electoral option that they can give a mandate to.”

On the emergence of the MK Party, Maimane acknowledged that it had inherited some of the ANC’s organisational strengths and could become a significant force if it leverages these assets. However, he criticised the MK Party and its partner in the so-called “Progressive Caucus,” expressing philosophical disagreements and questioning how progressive the caucus really is.

You can watch the interview here.