Overview
- The Democratic Alliance has formally nominated federal council chair Helen Zille as its candidate for Johannesburg mayor ahead of the 2026 local elections.
- Zille says water security will be her first priority, with immediate investment in maintaining bulk supply and reticulation, alongside repairs to electricity, roads, streetlights, refuse removal and sewage systems.
- She vows to trim duplicated senior posts in a “top-heavy” city administration while protecting front-line service jobs and tightening oversight of contractors.
- Zille rules out relying on the EFF to form or sustain a governing coalition, citing instability from past arrangements in the metro.
- The announcement has triggered criticism from the ANC Women’s League and debate over Zille’s age, as analysts call Johannesburg a pivotal test for both the DA and ANC before 2026 and ActionSA pushes its councillors to show results.