JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng — The Democratic Alliance (DA) election campaign has officially arrived in Johannesburg, with federal leader Geordin Hill-Lewis and mayoral candidate Helen Zille spearheading the party’s “Working for All” tour. Addressing a large crowd of supporters, the party leadership outlined a comprehensive strategy to restore basic services, combat corruption, and revitalize the city’s economy ahead of the November 4 local elections.
During the rally, Hill-Lewis emphasized that the DA is a national party that honors all South African heritage, urging residents not to accept the current failures in the city. The core message of the campaign centers on a simple but powerful pledge: “Get Joburg working.” Hill-Lewis noted that this practical approach is already attracting hundreds of thousands of first-time DA voters across the city, including residents he recently encountered on holiday in Cape Town who pledged their support for the upcoming elections.
Highlighting the tangible impact of DA governance, Hill-Lewis pointed to Cape Town, where he stated the party’s administration has created 418,000 jobs. He argued that a functioning Johannesburg could achieve similar economic revival, allowing small businesses to thrive and relieving residents from the burden of “paying twice.” Currently, he noted, citizens are forced to pay municipal accounts while simultaneously funding private water tankers, solar generators, and vehicle repairs due to severe infrastructure decay.
The DA leader did not shy away from highlighting the city’s current statistical failures, noting that Johannesburg Water loses half of its supply before it reaches residents’ taps, and City Power loses a third of its electricity. He added that the city’s financial mismanagement has become so severe that it is causing concern even within the national ANC government. In contrast, Hill-Lewis championed Helen Zille as the only mayor in South Africa who has a proven track record of turning around a broken city.
To address these systemic issues, Zille’s campaign is built on five practical pledges designed to tackle the city’s immediate crises:
1. Stopping the stealing and wasting of public funds.
2. Protecting water and electricity revenue to ensure it is ring-fenced for infrastructure maintenance.
3. Appointing competent personnel based on merit rather than political affiliation.
4. Fixing critical basic services, specifically potholes and traffic lights.
5. Ending the political instability and chaos caused by unstable coalitions.
Addressing the issue of governance, Hill-Lewis stressed the importance of securing an outright DA majority in Johannesburg. He argued that a clear majority is essential to avoid the chaotic coalitions of the past, enabling the party to implement difficult decisions, root out corruption, and hold officials strictly accountable.
With just 41 days remaining until the November 4 elections, the DA leadership is using the final stretch of the “Working for All” tour to build momentum, urging every resident to turn out on election day to decide the future of the city’s economy and service delivery.
