Democratic Alliance DA Federal Council Chairperson Helen Zille says she has unfinished business in the City of Johannesburg where she is considering running for mayor.
In an interview with Radio 702 on Monday 9 June, Zille confirmed weekend reports that she had been formally approached for the position and was seriously thinking about it.
Helen Zille mulls Johannesburg mayor bidRemember, there is always competition in the DA. We like competition. We dont like coronations. So, about 12 people have applied, she revealed.
Asked why she would do it, she replied, Because I have unfinished business in Johannesburg. I was born in Hillbrow. I grew up in Johannesburg. I lived in Hillbrow as a journalist. I love that city. I still got family in that city.
And most importantly of all, South Africa cant succeed if Joburg is broken. Joburg remains the financial and economic capital of South Africa, and we have to make sure that Joburg is fixed.
She argued that fixing South Africa starts with fixing local government.
Thats why we put all our eggs into trying to win someway at local government, demonstrating better governance and building from there, from the bottom up, she explained.
Zille was Cape Town Mayor from 2006 to 2009. In 2008, she was awarded the World Mayor Prize after topping a poll of over 800 cities around the world.
She acknowledged that Joburg is a completely different kettle of fish compared to Cape Town because it is much more broken than Cape Town was in 2006.
The voters of Joburg have to make a choice - do they want race, or do they want services? Do they want good governance, investments, jobs, a turnaround that would get people out of poverty? she asked.