Khaya Dlanga Supports Helen Zille for Johannesburg Mayor, Gets Roasted: “I Thought You Were Clever”

• Media personality Khaya Dlanga publicly backed Helen Zille for the position of Johannesburg Mayor
• He claimed that Zille had a proven track record, citing her leadership in Cape Town as an example
• Dlanga's post was met with fierce criticism, with many accusing him of ignoring the DA's failures in other provinces

South African author Khaya Dlanga has caused a stir on social media after endorsing Democratic Alliance's federal chair Helen Zille for Johannesburg Mayor.

Zille topped social media trending charts over the weekend after a report that the DA approached her with and proposed that she run for mayor of Johannesburg.

Khaya Dlanga backs Helen Zille for Mayor of Johannesburg

Media personality Khaya Dlanga went on his X account on Sunday, 8 June 2025, and explained why Helen Zille is the right candidate for Joburg mayor. Dlanga argued that Zille, despite her other shortcomings, has a tangible track record of delivering. The post was captioned:

“Helen Zille is considering running for Joburg mayor in 2026 apparently. Let me tell you now, if she does, she will win. And not by accident. Like it or not, she has a proven record of turning a city around. Just look at Cape Town. You can debate her politics all you want, but she gets things done. Joburg, as it stands, is crying out for that kind of leadership. (And Cape Town has the lowest unemployment rate of all major cities). If this happens, the ANC will lose Johannesburg for good. And when Joburg goes, so does Gauteng. People are tired. They want working traffic lights, clean streets, functioning municipalities, not endless excuses. Right now, everyone is complaining about what the ANC has done to the city. Zille offers a real, visible alternative. This might be uncomfortable for some to hear, but mark this tweet and save it. If I am wrong, I will say so. But I doubt I will be.”

Netizens roast Khaya Dlanga for endorsing Helen Zille

In the comments, people savaged Khaya Dlanga and pointed out that Cape Town still has its fair share of issues. Others pointed out the DA’s failures in other cities.

Here are some of the reactions:

“Bro, where were you when the DA had Tshwane for close to a decade and failed? Why didn't the DA lose Tshwane forever? Why did the public debt more than quadruple during their tenure? Why did city infrastructure disintegrate?”

@danielsunss alleged:

“She's a racist, 74-year-old, bitter person. Why do you want this for black people?”

@chiefcebo_ said:

“I thought you were clever. I am disappointed.”

@UMntuNgabantu said:

“People like you, Khaya, are dangerous for our societies. You need to stop going to the city when you're in Cape Town and tour around to see how blacks are living under the leadership of the DA.”

Khaya Dlanga deletes post of Anele Mdoda’s wedding

Meanwhile, this isn't the first time Khaya Dlanga has caused a stir on social media.

Briefly News reported that Khaya Dlanga had tongues wagging after he deleted a post containing pictures of Anele Mdoda’s wedding in April 2025.

After the post was deleted, local fans questioned if the author of several books had permission to share images from the traditional Xhosa ceremony.

Source: Briefly News