Helen Zille wants to be Jo'burg Mayor
Things are so bad in the city that people may just think it is a good idea
Last week, I was driving through one of Johannesburg’s wealthiest suburbs — the kind of area where the president, an opposition party leader, and several of the country’s richest businesspeople call home.
You’d expect this part of the city to be in decent shape. But to my surprise, I found myself navigating through darkness, dodging potholes, and watching water pour down the street like a burst pipe had given up completely.
This wasn’t just a typical Jo’burg scene — this was Hyde Park. And if Hyde Park looks like this, imagine what life is like in areas like Mayfair, Bruma, or the townships.
In Mayfair and surrounding areas, residents often go for weeks without electricity or running water. In Bruma, east of the Johannesburg CBD, one woman told us she hadn’t had water in her home for a month. A whole month without water. Think about that for a second.
Johannesburg’s decline has happened just the way Ernest Hemingway once described going bankrupt: “Gradually, then suddenly.” The city is now at a tipping point.
And into this chaos, a familiar name has resurfaced — Helen Zille.
There are talks within the Democratic Alliance (DA) that Zille could throw her hat into the ring to become the party’s mayoral candidate for Johannesburg. The DA is busy finalising plans and candidates for the municipal election next year and they definitely see Jo’burg as a battleground.
Since the news broke that Zille wa considering rasing her hand, supporters of the idea point to her successful stint as mayor of Cape Town from 2006 to 2009, where she was credited with stabilising and improving the city’s administration.
They argue that she understands the machinery of local government better than most, and that she has the political savvy to manage complex coalition politics — a must-have skill in Johannesburg’s fractured council.
Zille is nothing if not focused. When she sets her sights on something, she rarely misses. She’s experienced, strategic, and not easily intimidated. Given how rudderless Jo’burg has been, I can see why many people appear relieved at the prospect.
But not everyone is convinced she’s the right person for the job. Critics point out that the DA’s governance track record has been uneven, especially when it comes to serving poorer, Black communities.
In Cape Town, for instance, there’s a strong argument that the city works well if you live in the suburbs, but not so much if you’re based in the townships.
Others argue that at 74 years old, Zille should be stepping away from active politics, not re-entering the frontline. And then there’s the question of geography: she doesn’t live in Johannesburg. Can someone who doesn’t experience the daily dysfunction of this city truly understand its complexity?
At the same time, Johannesburg’s problems have gone well beyond politics and personalities. Much of what we’re dealing with today — the broken infrastructure, the unreliable water supply, the decaying roads and streetlights — are the result of years of corruption, mismanagement, and neglect. The city’s water crisis, in particular, is largely man-made. It is not a natural disaster; it is a failure of leadership and planning.
Experts estimate that Johannesburg would need over R200 billion to restore its infrastructure and turn things around.
That kind of money, and the kind of political will needed to turn things around effectively, cannot come from the current system.
Which is likely why the DA is thinking long-term. With someone like Zille as a mayoral candidate, the party could easily become the majority party in Johannesburg. And if they can govern this city successfully — on their own terms — the 2029 national elections suddenly become a much more attainable goal.
Zille says she will make her decision by 15 June. But her recent media engagements and public positioning suggest that she’s already laying the groundwork for something big.
In contrast, current Jo’burg mayor Dada Morero seems more interested in optics than solutions. His recent “bomb squad” PR stunt, which was marketed as a serious response to the city’s problems, felt more like a gimmick than a governance strategy.
As someone who lives in this city, I’m not asking for miracles. I just want to drive home from work without popping a tyre or getting lost in the dark. I want water to come out of the tap when I turn it on. Is that really too much to ask?
PS. Don’t feel too despondent. There are amazing people doing incredible things too!
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