Helen Zille Wants to Be Mayor of Joburg, But MK Party Isn’t Having It

The MK Party says “hands off” to Cape Town’s most powerful political matriarch.

In a move that has stirred both disbelief and defiance, Democratic Alliance heavyweight Helen Zille has expressed interest in possibly running for mayor of Johannesburg in the upcoming 2026 local government elections. The reaction? A swift and fiery rejection from the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP), who say the city doesn’t need a political tourist, it needs a homegrown revival.

MKP draws the line

The MK Party, still riding the wave of momentum from its performance in the 2024 elections and recent by-election results, didn’t mince words. In a sharply worded statement, the party declared that it not Zille, and certainly not the DA is best positioned to rescue Johannesburg from its ongoing dysfunction.

“Let it be known that the MK Party stands ready and capable to rescue the City come the 2026 Local Government Elections,” the party proclaimed.

Zille’s Joburg ambitions? ‘Nonsensical,’ says MKP

Zille, currently based in Cape Town and serving as DA Federal Council chairperson, recently told IOL that she’s contemplating a bid for the mayoral chains in Johannesburg. But for the MKP, that idea doesn’t just fall flat—it’s an insult.

“It is nonsensical to consider the possibility of a Capetonian resident holding mayoral capacity in a city that she is alien to,” they said, accusing the DA of masking race-based governance with empty platitudes about being “colour-blind.”

The party specifically called on black residents of Johannesburg to see through what it claims is “propaganda,” citing what they perceive as racially biased governance in Cape Town under the DA.

The ANC’s silence, the DA’s arrogance

The MKP didn’t just aim its political fire at Zille. It also took a shot at the ANC, accusing the party of creating the leadership vacuum that allowed this moment to happen.

“The current state of disarray found in the City of Johannesburg is courteous of their absent Mayor Dada Morero, and has resulted in the City being brought to its knees,” the statement read.

Their words reflect a deeper frustration shared by many Joburg residents: rolling service delivery failures, financial mismanagement, and a parade of mayoral changes that have turned the metro into a national joke.

‘This is not Cape Town’ local voices react

On social media, residents expressed mixed emotions. While some found Zille’s interest in Johannesburg’s top job laughable, others viewed it as a desperate sign of the DA trying to expand into new turf—territory it has historically struggled to conquer.

One Twitter user wrote: “Helen Zille wants to fix Joburg like it’s the Cape Town CBD. We are not beachfront property with mountain views. We need real leadership that knows the city’s grit.”

Others welcomed the competition, arguing that Zille’s track record in the Western Cape proves she can handle tough municipalities , though even they questioned the wisdom of parachuting into a city she hasn’t lived in.

A tale of two cities

Zille’s political legacy is rooted in Cape Town, where she served as mayor and later as Premier of the Western Cape. Her governance style pragmatic but often combative earned her respect from supporters and accusations of elitism from critics.

But Johannesburg is a different beast. While Cape Town is lauded for clean audits and infrastructure development, Joburg is plagued by load reduction, water outages, crumbling roads, and rampant corruption. It’s a city where political power changes hands not by vision, but by coalition collapses.

The MK Party believes it understands that reality better than anyone. And they’re betting that voters will, too.

What’s next?

With the 2026 elections still more than a year away, the battle lines are already being drawn. MKP says it will soon unveil a “credible plan” to rebuild Johannesburg. Zille hasn’t confirmed her candidacy but has clearly stirred the waters.

Meanwhile, ActionSA is skeptical of her intentions, and even the DA’s local structure hasn’t shown much enthusiasm.

For now, the city watches and waits. But if the MK Party has anything to say about it, Joburg will choose from its own, not from across the Vaal.

{Source: IOL}

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