DA plays its trump card

Joburg residents might want to give the DA another chance, especially with Helen Zille as its mayoral candidate, who they will find tempting, according to experts.

- Eric Mthobeli Naki

Political economy analyst Daniel Silke said the DA saw the 2026 local government election as a "make-or-break" affair.

By fielding Zille as its candidate, the DA is taking the battle to the ANC because it smells blood, he said.

Silke said this would be exacerbated by the fact that the ANC is already losing support nationwide, particularly in Gauteng and other key urban municipalities.

"For the ANC to retain its preeminent position in South African politics, it has to recoup the lost ground in the big urban centres, particularly Johannesburg, from a numerical and symbolic point of view.

"I think for the ANC really, the battle of Johannesburg may well be a battle for the heart and soul of the ANC," Silke, said.