Helen Zille’s calculated bid for Johannesburg mayor
Will Helen Zille run for Johannesburg’s top municipal position? The DA’s deadline for mayoral nominations is 15 June 2025.
Helen Zille must submit her name for the DA’s Johannesburg mayoral candidacy by 15 June 2025. Democratic Alliance (DA) Gauteng chair Solly Msimanga confirmed the deadline and said they will not accept any late entries.
Zille told BusinessTech that she is “moving in that direction” but has not yet decided.
She emphasized on SABC NEWS how important it is to fix Johannesburg’s “very broken” governance.
JOHANNESBURG FINANCIAL CRISIS AND BACKLOG IN INFRASTRUCTURE
The mayor of Johannesburg, Dada Morero, said that the city’s infrastructure needs R200 billion more than it has. The city’s yearly operating budget is R86 billion.
Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku, the Democratic Alliance (DA)’s Johannesburg caucus leader, spoke out against the city’s budget, saying that water and electricity services were not getting enough funding due to the backlog.
Helen Zille stressed the need to stabilise the city’s finances to keep the economy from collapsing.
HELEN ZILLE’S CHALLENGES IN JOHANNESBURG
Since the 2021 local government elections, the African National Congress (ANC) has held more council seats in Johannesburg than the DA.
Political analyst Professor Theo Neethling says Johannesburg’s coalitions experience a high level of political turbulence.
Herman Mashaba, the leader of ActionSA, said on eNCA that Zille’s candidature shows that the party doesn’t trust Black leaders.
Sasabona Manganye, the secretary of the African National Congress (ANC) in Johannesburg, says that the Democratic Alliance (DA) is to blame for the city’s financial challenges.
Zille said that her opponents would use race politics to stop her. But she plans to focus on poverty instead of division.
DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE CHALLENGES TO BEAT THE ODDS
All parties agree that Joburg faces serious structural problems. Zille brings extensive experience in the metro, but she must gain the trust of coalition partners and the city.
Analysts believe a new mayor will need political savvy and the authority to implement changes.
If she meets the 15 June deadline, her candidacy could shift the Democratic Alliance (DA)’s position in Johannesburg.