ANC Women’s League criticises DA's Helen Zille for Johannesburg mayoral bid
Helen Zille’s nomination as DA mayoral candidate for Johannesburg has drawn fire from the ANC Women’s League, which accuses her of hypocrisy, exclusionism, and a legacy of poor service delivery.
Image: Supplied
In a political twist that’s reigniting old wounds, the ANC Women’s League has blasted the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) announcement of Helen Zille as its mayoral candidate for Johannesburg, calling the move “astounding” and “deeply hypocritical.”
DA Federal Chairperson Helen Zille was officially announced as the party’s Johannesburg mayoral candidate last weekend, setting the stage for a fierce contest in South Africa’s economic heartland.
This also sharpened battle lines ahead of the 2026 local government elections.
But the ANCWL has condemned the nomination, citing Zille’s controversial past and what they call a “track record of exclusionary governance.”
“Johannesburg is a cosmopolitan metropolis of the African continent, home to millions seeking economic opportunity,” said the League in a statement.
“The only proven track record to be attributed to the DA is its inherent disregard for transformation, and its political conviction remains that of the protection of White privilege and supremacy.
“The DA and its Johannesburg Mayoral candidate are disingenuous in their promise for service delivery, and the only vice that cannot be forgiven is hypocrisy.”
According to the league, to nominate someone who once referred to Eastern Cape migrants as ‘refugees’ was a slap in the face to the values of inclusivity and unity.
“These utterances not only undermined the compass of our constitutional democracy but confirmed the DA policy of exclusionism which is characterised by prejudice and collective hatred for Black people,” the league said.
Zille, who served as Western Cape Premier and Cape Town Mayor, sparked national outrage in 2012 after suggesting Eastern Cape residents moving to the Western Cape be “deported.”
Critics viewed her comments as xenophobic and reflective of a broader DA “policy of exclusionism.”
The Women’s League further attacked Zille’s legacy in the Western Cape, highlighting areas like Du Noon and Blikkiesdorp as “visible monuments of DA disservice,” accusing her of failing African and Coloured communities despite her claims of “clean governance.”
“Infrastructure like water, electricity, and road maintenance cannot be promised by someone who has failed to deliver the same in historically marginalised areas,” it said.
They also accused the DA of perpetuating white privilege and failing to advance transformation.
With Zille at the forefront of the DA’s Johannesburg campaign, the announcement signalled a potential political flashpoint in a city already plagued by service delivery issues and political fragmentation.
The DA believes that Zille will make a difference.
The battle for Johannesburg has officially begun, and the rhetoric is anything but mild.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
IOL Politics