Sol Phenduka Trolls Helen Zille for Spinning Gusheshe to "Win Black Votes" in Joburg

• Helen Zille was filmed doing burnouts in a stunt car at an outdoor event as part of her DA Johannesburg mayoral campaign
• Podcast and Chill host Sol Phenduka fired back at the stunt, questioning whether it was the right way to court black voters
• Sol's comment drew sharp responses from netizens, with some defending Zille and others backing Phenduka's take

A campaign stunt featuring Democratic Alliance Johannesburg mayoral candidate Helen Zille spinning a gusheshe has set social media alight, with Podcast and Chill host Sol Phenduka wading into the debate. The clip, filmed inside a BMW E30 at an outdoor event in Johannesburg on 15 October 2026, shows a decorated stunt doing smoky burnouts and doughnuts while a passenger leans out of the window, with the words "Believe in Joburg" closing out the footage.

Zille's gusheshe stunt goes viral

X user @NicholasNyathi shared the clip with a caption that doubled as a campaign call to action: "Gogo will spin Jozi into prosperity. On 4 November we are voting DA on both ballots." The post quickly gained traction, drawing attention both to Zille's unconventional electioneering style and to the broader conversation about who she is trying to reach.

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It was Sol Phenduka's reply that really poured fuel on the fire. The podcast host responded pointedly, writing: "This is not how you earn the 'black vote.'"

Watch the gusheshe video that sparked the debate:

Mzansi splits over Sol's comment

The Johannesburg mayoral race is shaping up to be a fiercely contested battle, and Zille's gusheshe moment has made clear that her campaign is not shy about unorthodox methods. Whether tyre smoke translates into votes on 4 November remains to be seen.

Phenduka's take was not received without pushback. Users quickly clapped back, with opinions ranging from irritated to outright mocking.

@NicholasNyathi defended the stunt:

"Justifying people based on colour is apartheid mentality, Sol. Helen is campaigning to a constituency called spinners. We left racial politics in 93'."

@officialshlelo challenged Phenduka's authority on the matter:

"Who made you god to decide who must earn the black vote?"

Phenduka himself hit back at a critic, posting:

"Are you dumb? Where in my tweet does it suggest who must earn the black vote?"

@penuelist_ kept it short and sly:

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"You'd be surprised."

@KamvaLiberal had a more pointed observation:

"Unfortunately, that is how you do it when you're white. Our fellow black people are so easily manipulated."

@KgaogeloKekan15 took a lighter stance:

"Hating on a gogo so hard is just embarrassing!! Let the gogo have her fun! If she doesn't win, at least she would have had one hell of a ride!!!"

Sizwe trolls Helen's video

In a previous report from Briefly News, Sizwe Dhlomo reacted to Helen Zille’s Migos-inspired DA video.

The clip divided South Africans online, raising debate about AI, authenticity and youth voter outreach.

Source: Briefly News