Helen Zille wants to be the mayor of Johannesburg so badly that she will do almost anything. Well, at least if her social media video posts are anything to go by.
Earlier this week, she was paddling her way through an urban lake in the middle of the ever-busy Elias Motsoaledi Road in Soweto. Call it a cheap political stunt or genius PR – either way, she has caught the attention of the electorate and sparked many debates.
This got me thinking about my internal struggles over who to vote for. Who will ensure that my beloved Johannesburg is functional, safe, clean and progressive?
I always find election season to be a fascinating and vibrant period, marked by grandiose promises and relentless political campaigning by the ambitious political class. This year is no different; politicians who were last seen in the previous election cycle have slithered back to communities bearing loaves of bread and t-shirts.
Like many voters, I have a dream of running in the streets at any time of the day with the ease that I will not be accosted or attacked by some dodgy figure. As a resident of Orlando East in Soweto, I want streetlights that work and a regular supply of water. On Wednesdays, when my refuse is scheduled to be collected, I would rather not arrive back to a township where the rubbish bins are still lining up at 6pm with no clear indication of whether they will be emptied.
Let’s not even begin to discuss the freely flowing sewage tributaries on the streets of my home township. I long to walk from Bree Street to Joubert Park and patronise the Johannesburg Art Gallery, where Gerard Sekoto’s masterpieces hang majestically without me looking over my shoulder. Whom shall I send?
Zille says she is up to the task.
Since announcing her candidacy for the Jozi mayoral chain, she has consistently sought to publicly expose the shortcomings of the ANC-led administration. Luckily for her, she has not had to work that hard.
Johannesburg has no shortage of open manholes, potholes, water restrictions, and a plethora of other service delivery failures.
Zille has framed herself as Gogo Helen, the elder and saviour who has all the answers for bringing the mighty Johannesburg to its former glory. She references her record in Cape Town as proof that she is the woman who can turn the ailing city’s fortunes.
However, Zille’s politics and ideological posture are a hard pill to swallow. She has not always endeared herself to African voters with her “anti-woke” rhetoric, apparent superiority complex, and white saviour mentality. I want to trust her and consider her an option. But I cannot help but wonder if she will turn Jozi into another Cape Town, where gentrification excludes African professionals from the suburbs.
Does the DA’s moniker of “blue people” threaten to erase our identities as black communities and our plight? Will Jozi continue to be the safe political haven for exuberant blackness where African people are seen and heard?
What I do know is that the residents of the mighty Johannesburg deserve better. But the question will linger: does political ideology supersede the aspiration of living in a functional, safe, and well-run world-class African city?
- Majoro is Sunday World news editor
- Helen Zille is actively campaigning to become the mayor of Johannesburg, using high-profile stunts like paddling through a Soweto urban lake to gain attention.
- The author expresses concerns about Johannesburg’s current state, highlighting issues such as safety, unreliable services, open sewage, and poor infrastructure.
- Zille criticizes the ANC-led government’s failures and presents herself as the experienced leader capable of restoring Johannesburg’s former glory, citing her Cape Town record.
- There are reservations about Zille’s politics, including her “anti-woke” stance, perceived superiority, and fears that her leadership might lead to gentrification and alienation of black communities.
- The article poses the dilemma of whether political ideology should take precedence over the urgent need for a functional, safe, and progressive Johannesburg for all its residents.
