'If you don’t believe me, ask President Ramaphosa': Helen Zille sets sights on Joburg
DA federal leader John Steenhuisen introduced Helen Zille to the crowd in Soweto, describing her as “a daughter of the city.
Image: Supplied
Former Western Cape premier Helen Zille has enthusiastically accepted her selection as the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) mayoral candidate for the City of Johannesburg in the upcoming 2026 local government elections.
The announcement was made at a lively event in Soweto on Saturday, bringing Zille a step closer to becoming mayor of Johannesburg — if voters select her at the crucial polls.
DA federal leader John Steenhuisen introduced Zille to the crowd, describing her as “a daughter of the city.”
“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,” Steenhuisen said.
The event was also addressed by DA Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga and DA Johannesburg chairperson Wendy Alexander.
In her acceptance speech, Zille said she had faced stiff competition during the DA’s internal selection process.
“It is a privilege for me to accept the nomination as your mayoral candidate for this great city. I acknowledge with respect all the other candidates who gave me stiff competition for this honour,” said Zille.
Throwing punches at the African National Congress (ANC), Zille said the once-glorious Joburg now symbolises the burden that bad government places on great people.
“But the good news is that in a democracy, the people have more power than their government, if they will only use it. They can vote for change. They can evict a bad government and demand better. The greatest risk facing Joburg is that her people resign themselves to the path of failure, and give up on her promise,” said the former mayor of Cape Town.
“We are here to say: we will not give up. We can still change course. There is a better way.
“If you don’t believe me, just ask the president. With perfect timing, President Ramaphosa this week showed the boldness we’ve all been waiting for. There is no braver act for a political leader than endorsing his main political opponent. Make no mistake, that is exactly what the president did. He told South Africa that the DA’s election offer is better than the ANC’s,” she told the gathering.
Earlier this week, IOL reported that Ramaphosa had addressed the controversy over his recent remarks praising DA-run municipalities for their clean audits. He said his comments were based on Auditor-General (AG) reports highlighting solid financial management in the Western Cape.
ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa
Image: ANC/X
Speaking to the SABC, Ramaphosa said he was simply citing what Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke had reported publicly.
“When I spoke about what we need to do, I referred to her reports which she issues every year... She looks at all our municipalities and, in some areas, she has found clean audits,” Ramaphosa said.
He added that municipalities in the Western Cape had clean audits according to the AG, but stressed: “Clean audits do not mean clean streets, best governance. It’s a compliance issue. There are a number of ANC-run municipalities that have clean audits. We need to look at this issue in a comprehensive way.”
The president also took a jab at the DA for amplifying his remarks.
“From a transformative point of view, they are not meeting the mark. And a number of ANC municipalities do. People in areas such as Philippi, Delft, Kayamandi and Langa would tell you that those clean audits have not resulted in the transformation of their lives,” he said.
Ramaphosa’s initial comments were widely interpreted as an endorsement of the John Steenhuisen-led party, which quickly seized on the remarks. “The DA gets things done,” the party posted on social media.
Helen Zille has been named as DA's mayoral candidate in Joburg.
Image: Supplied
Zille, who is also chairperson of the DA’s federal council, added to the moment by sharing an AI-generated image of Ramaphosa peering at her paper in a classroom.
On Saturday, Zille expressed confidence that the people of Johannesburg would rally behind her candidacy.
“Well, Mr President, your councillors in Johannesburg are about to find out. Your voters will bring DA government here, so that you can see first-hand. For cities to flourish, a few basics must be in place: Elected representatives must be driven by a desire to serve and improve their communities. They must not use their positions to steal from the people they are supposed to serve,” she said.
“The city administration must be staffed with skilled, ethical and capable professionals. These officials must be appointed for what they know, rather than who they know or are related to. They must be rewarded for excellence and held accountable for failure.
“You see, local government isn’t about ideology and grand ideals. It is about grand responsibility. It is the frontline of service delivery. The only job of local government is to deliver quality basic services. Water. Sewage. Refuse removal. Roads. Traffic lights. Electricity. In a local government election, the only question voters should ask is: who will do this job best?” Zille stated.
The former journalist said she is “deeply indebted” to the DA for entrusting her with the responsibility.
“I believe my whole life, and every previous job, has been preparing me for this,” said Zille.
jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za
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