Helen Zille Might Be Headed for Joburg’s Top Job

The DA’s Old Guard Could Return to Clean Up Joburg’s Mess. But at What Cost?

Helen Zille, a name etched deep in South Africa’s political history, may be packing her bags for Johannesburg. The former Cape Town mayor and current DA federal chair has confirmed she’s giving serious thought to running for the city’s mayorship, a move that could see her back on the frontline of local politics after years of pulling the strings behind the scenes.

Zille recently stated that she’ll make her final decision by 15 June, the deadline for internal DA applications. The job isn’t for the faint-hearted, and it’s certainly not for anyone seeking a lucrative paycheck. At R1.5 million a year, the salary is a far cry from the executive packages her party was offering candidates from the private sector, many of whom reportedly walked away citing stress, chaos, and bad pay.

A City in Chaos With No One Willing to Take the Wheel

Johannesburg, a city once bursting with ambition and energy, is now buckling under the weight of years of neglect. From potholes-turned-craters and endless blackout and water cuts that drag on for days, life in the country’s economic engine has become a slow grind. So much so that many locals don’t even flinch anymore when the lights go off or traffic lights give up.

It’s not just residents who are taking the strain. Even the Presidency has stepped in with a form of “soft intervention” since March, following the city’s progressive deterioration. One DA insider didn’t mince words: “Johannesburg is so far gone, we need someone with real velocity to take this on.” And that’s where Zille might come in.

“It’s My Decision,” says Zille

Speaking candidly, Zille said her family is settled in Cape Town, where she enjoys regular adventures with her grandchildren. Her husband, retired academic Johann Maree, isn’t planning to join her if she runs. “He supports what I decide, but won’t come to Johannesburg,” she said.

Still, she’s not without a base in the city. Zille’s sister lives in Emmarentia, where load-shedding and water outages are part of the weekly routine. Should she go through with her application and make the shortlist, she plans to stay in her sister’s cottage — a must for any mayoral hopeful, as residency in the city is a requirement.

Her potential return comes after years of watching Johannesburg slide from a distance. A close associate noted that Zille’s concern began as far back as 2019, when she realised that many traffic lights simply didn’t work. Since then, she’s spent more and more time in Gauteng, quietly steering the DA’s local government campaign and, perhaps, laying the groundwork for a comeback.

More Than Just a Name

Zille isn’t walking into this without competition. Several DA councillors are gunning for the position too and will need to undergo a strict internal vetting process, complete with a screening test, city recovery plan presentation, and a round of unscripted questions from party leadership.

But even her critics admit: Zille has form. Back in 2006, when Cape Town started showing signs of urban decay, she stepped in and helped turn it around. More recently, she’s led the DA’s governance unit, mentoring councillors entering government.

What gives her the edge, according to a senior DA official, is trust. “Whether people like her or not, she’s trusted to govern.”

The Job Ahead? Monumental.

Zille once estimated it would take five years to turn Johannesburg around. Now, she’s not so sure. “It’ll take more than five years to stop the rot and turn the tide,” she admitted. The city is facing a R200-billion infrastructure backlog, while its annual budget sits at R86 billion. Since 2010, the staff complement has ballooned by 86%.

The odds are steep, and the city’s coalition politics don’t make things easier. Right now, an ANC-led coalition clings to a slim majority with the support of the EFF, ActionSA and Patriotic Alliance. But that could shift ahead of the next local election in 2026 or 2027.

Should Zille run , and win she’ll be trading the relative calm of her Cape Town retirement for the daily grind of potholes, power cuts and political warfare. But for now, her answer is still up in the air. And Joburg waits.

Read more:Helen Zille Says She has Unfinished Business in the City of her Birth. 

{Source:Daily Maverick}

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