Political analyst and author Prince Mashele has publicly declared his support for Helen Zille, should the former Western Cape Premier decide to run as mayor of Johannesburg in the 2026 local government elections.
This comes after reports last month that Zille, who currently serves as the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) federal council chairperson, was considering running for the mayoral post, following multiple requests to enter the race.
In an interview with Sizwe Mpofu-Walsh on the SMWX podcast, Mashele surprised many by stating that he would endorse Zille – despite not being a DA supporter – because of Johannesburg’s current state under ANC leadership.
‘ANC has destroyed Johannesburg’
“If Helen Zille wins the contest to become the mayoral candidate of Johannesburg, I am going to do something I have never done in my life. I am going to publicly endorse her,” said Mashele.
“With a heavy heart. The way the ANC has destroyed Johannesburg… Johannesburg used to be the pride of Africa.”
Mashele was critical of former ANC mayor Parks Tau, now Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, saying Tau contributed to the city’s urban decay.
“Helen Zille has a proven track record. She ran Cape Town as mayor, she did not destroy it. She ran the Western Cape as premier, she did not destroy it,” he said, pointing to Cape Town’s thriving tourism and well-maintained infrastructure.
ANC’s grip on Johannesburg under fire
Mashele’s scathing remarks extended to current Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero, describing his tenure as marked by basic service delivery failures, including water outages in Sandton, a crumbling inner city, and growing urban neglect.
“How can you go without water in Sandton? The richest square mile in Africa without water. It can only happen under an incompetent called Dada Morero,” he said.
Despite mounting criticism, Morero has defended his administration, citing ongoing interventions since 2016 and the recent establishment of crisis response teams.
“We have now been given an opportunity to address those challenges, and we need time to do so,” Morero said in March at the opening of the Naledi Clinic in Soweto.The Presidency has also stepped in, with President Cyril Ramaphosa announcing the deployment of the Presidential Johannesburg Working Group (PJWG) to help the metro recover from what many are calling a crisis of governance.
Zille still considering her candidacy
While Zille has not confirmed her candidacy, she said in June that she was consulting with her family after being approached to run.
“I have been approached to put my hat in the ring for mayor. I am still considering it,” she said.
Her potential return to executive office has ignited debate across political circles, especially in light of Johannesburg’s severe decline under ANC leadership and the DA’s ongoing internal contestation for 2026 candidates.
Can Helen Zille save Johannesburg?
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