The day Helen Zille threw her hat in the ring for the Joburg mayor
Helen Zille in Soweto, at the event where she was announced as the Democratic Alliance's Joburg mayoral candidate for the 2026 local government elections.
Image: Helen Zille / X
The Democratic Alliance (DA) confirmed in September that former Western Cape premier Helen Zille, 74, would be its mayoral candidate for the City of Johannesburg in the 2026 local government elections — a move that immediately reshaped political debates in the country’s economic hub.
The announcement was made at a lively event in Soweto, where DA federal leader John Steenhuisen introduced her as “a daughter of the city,” telling supporters: “Can we build the Jozi we all love? Yes, we can! And so it is with great pride, and even greater urgency, that I re-introduce to you… your very own DA mayoral candidate for Johannesburg: Helen Zille.”
DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga and DA Johannesburg chairperson Wendy Alexander also addressed the gathering, signalling the party’s intention to consolidate its campaign early.
Zille’s selection followed a period of public speculation. In an interview with IOL in June, she confirmed she had been “contemplating running for mayor” after being approached to put her “hat in the ring” and discussing the decision with her family.
Her candidacy has drawn some support from unexpected quarters. In a July interview on the SMWX podcast with Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh, outspoken political analyst Prince Mashele said he would take the unusual step of publicly endorsing Zille for mayor.
“Look, if Helen Zille wins the contest to become the mayoral candidate of Johannesburg, I am going to do something I have never done in my life. I am going to publicly endorse her,” Mashele said.
“This is big. I am going to do something I have never done in my life. Publicly, I will endorse Helen Zille to be mayor of Johannesburg — with a heavy heart. The way the ANC has destroyed Johannesburg. Johannesburg used to be the pride of Africa. Parks Tau was part of the destruction of this city.”
Political analyst, author and researcher, Prince Mashele.
Image: Screengrab/SMWX Podcast
Zille’s entry into the race marked one of the most decisive political developments of September, setting the stage for an intense battle for control of South Africa’s largest metro in 2026.
This story was first published on IOL in September 2025.
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