WATCH | ‘Born in Hillbrow, back to fix it!’ – Zille teases mayoral bid

Zille

Cape Town – DA Federal Council chairperson Helen Zille has expressed a strong emotional and personal connection to Johannesburg, saying she has “very deep roots” in the city, having been born in Hillbrow and lived, worked, and grown up there.

In an interview with Newzroom Afrika, she remarked that she has “unfinished business” in Johannesburg, indicating a desire to return and make a meaningful impact.

Encouraged by DA members to run for mayor of Johannesburg in the 2026 local elections, Zille said she would first consult her family before deciding, City Press reported on Sunday.

“A lot of my family used to live in Johannesburg, my sister still does live in Johannesburg, and I love Johannesburg. I grew up there, and I worked there. I was in fact born in Hillbrow,” the former mayor of the City of Cape Town said during the interview on Monday.

“So I have got very deep roots and unfinished business in Johannesburg. So from that point of view, I would be keen to roll up my sleeves and try and get things done there.

“On the other hand, there are many candidates who feel exactly the same about Johannesburg, who all have their plans, who are all going to be rolling up their sleeves and want to get things done. And so the DA is not short of talent, we’ve got a lot of talent, and a lot of that talent has probably applied to be the mayor of Johannesburg – I don’t know and I would encourage anyone else who wants to do it, to do so before Friday,” she said.

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