Helen Zille Wants Joburg Back, But Can the DA Really Take the City in 2026?

Johannesburg politics is heating up again and this time, Helen Zille is stepping into the ring herself. The former Western Cape premier and DA federal council chair is not just campaigning; she’s openly confident that the DA can win Joburg, even amid crumbling infrastructure, power cuts, water outages and frustrations that have become everyday city life.

Supporters say her warm welcome in Soweto over the weekend proves something big: many Joburg residents are tired of service delivery failures. They want working streetlights, drivable roads, functioning billing systems, and leadership that doesn’t collapse every six months. DA MPL Mike Waters believes the reception shows that the city may be ready to give the party another shot.

“People realise if they want their cities saved, whether Johannesburg, Tshwane or Ekurhuleni, the DA is the only party that can do that,” he said, convinced that 2026 could be the turning point.

Zille herself feels the same. After multiple campaign events across Soweto, she says residents are paying attention, asking questions, and showing they understand the stakes. In her words:
“All the ingredients are in play for a DA win in Joburg.”

A comeback campaign, with unfinished business

If this feels familiar, it’s because it is.
Back in 2016, the DA made history by unseating the ANC in Joburg through a coalition, installing Herman Mashaba (now ActionSA leader) as mayor. It was short-lived, coalition instability later collapsed the arrangement, but the party believes it proved one thing: Joburg voters will switch if they see results.

And the DA is leaning heavily on its “track record argument.” Cape Town is often used as the flagship model, clean governance, financial stability, streets that generally work. In Gauteng, Midvaal is another brag point. Even President Cyril Ramaphosa once told ANC councillors to learn from DA municipalities on service delivery, a moment the party repeatedly references.

Now, Zille wants the mayoral chain herself. She isn’t shy about it either.

But the ANC isn’t folding its arms

Political analysts warn that this won’t be a smooth blue wave.

Khanyi Magubane says Zille’s entry shook the ANC and the wider Joburg political landscape. Her rallies were large, loud, and promising, enough for opponents to re-strategise urgently.

“It won’t be a walk in the park,” Magubane notes.
“The ANC wanted a clear majority in Joburg. Helen is popular because residents are frustrated, so opponents must work harder to stop her.”

Still, Magubane reminds one uncomfortable truth:
Zille cannot win without the black vote.
And while DA internal divisions often make headlines, she believes those won’t derail the 2026 Joburg race.

Analyst Sandile Swana is even more blunt. In his view, no single party can win Joburg alone, not DA, not ANC, not EFF not even MKP. To govern again, the DA will need coalition partners, maybe even the ANC itself.

“Zille will not be mayor unless ANC veterans push for a DA-ANC coalition,” he argues.

Imagine that alliance, blue and yellow under one roof. For now, it sounds improbable, but politics has taught South Africans never to say never.

The streets are watching and so is Soweto

DA Ekurhuleni councillor Simon Lapping says the Soweto turnout meant something more than just rally numbers.

“The tide is turning, not just in Joburg,” he insists.
“Helen’s reception in Soweto has implications for the whole country.”

In South Africa, Soweto isn’t just a place; it’s a political barometer. If Soweto cheers for you, you’re being taken seriously. If Soweto boos, you’re in trouble.

Right now, Soweto is listening. And asking tough questions.

So, can Zille really take Joburg?

The ingredients are there:

• Residents exhausted by corruption and collapsing infrastructure

• A DA campaign built on a “deliver or step aside” message

• A strong political heavyweight at the forefront

• Visible public interest, even in historic ANC strongholds

But standing in the way are:

• Coalition uncertainty

• ANC pushback and strategic defence

• The need to win significant black voter support

• A fragmented political landscape in Gauteng

Joburg isn’t an easy city to govern or to win. But it is a city longing for stability.

For now, Helen Zille is betting everything on the belief that Joburgers want change and are ready to give it to her.
2026 will tell whether that belief becomes history or another political what-if.

{Source: The Citizen}

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