“Helen Is Joburg’s Last Hope”: Madala Meets Helen Zille After Waiting 10 Years to Show Support

• A touching encounter between a devoted supporter and Helen Zille revealed he had waited a decade just to shake her had
• The video shared on Instagram left many viewers moved as the man pleaded for the politician to restore Joburg to its former glory
• Viewers agreed with the city’s decline, with many echoing the sentiment that competent leadership was urgently needed

A heartfelt moment between a madala and the DA leader, mayoral candidate Helen Zille, led to a national conversation about the future of the City of Gold.

The clip was shared on the Instagram account @zillecandidcam on 23 April 2026, where it drew over 100 comments from viewers who mostly believed that the politician would be a good mayor of the city.

Excited to see Helen Zille, the old man said he has been dying to meet the politician for 10 years just to hold her hand. He proceeded to thank her for campaigning for Johannesburg, saying she was the only person in the country who could fix the city.

Read also

"Thankful for this generation": Learners' vibey Quantum arrival at matric dance impresses Mzansi

The call for Helen Zille to save Johannesburg

The man said they are happy for Helen and are crossing fingers that she wins, and mobilising for her, while calling her their last hope at getting the city to its former glory. In Instagram user @zillecandidcam's clip, the man pleaded for the DA leader to bring investments to the City of Gold when she's in power, saying they were tired of associating with those who call themselves comrades.

Watch the Instagram reel below:

SA debates the city of Johannesburg's condition

The post gained traction as many social media users flooded the comments section to share their thoughts on the man's views. Many users shared the same sentiments as the man, saying the city's infrastructure and crime rate were alarming, a shame to the 32 years of the country's democracy. Some said Helen was Johannesburg's last hope at getting the city right and creating jobs. Others advised voters to elect competent leaders who have the people's and the country's best interests.

Read also

"MacG said this": Woman's conspiracy theory that baddies are undercover agents goes wild, SA agrees

User @georgies_tale_89 said:

"Helen is surely Joburg’s last hope 🙌."

User @tmhootsen shared:

"It's simple, people, elect competent people, please! It's after 32 years!"

User @ilborgo_di_olive added:

"Fabulous, it must make all your hard work so worthwhile!"

User @karabo_kabz95 commented:

"It’s true. A different party can fix problems in South Africa. They will try by all means to make sure their first term runs smoothly. But after what Cilliers Brink fumbled in Tshwane under Zille’s supervision, it’s a bit tricky."

User @traceyannehaw shared:

"Yes, let’s make the country great for everyone 🙌🏻."

User @kimfouri said:

"She will fix Joburg and root out the problems. Let's make Joburg great again."

3 Briefly News articles about Helen Zille

• Helen Zille was seen kayaking through the flooded streets of Johannesburg to highlight what the residents have to face during floods, as she continued to campaign for the city's mayor title.
• DA leader, Helen Zille, was filmed swimming in a pothole as a way of showing the city's decline and the state of infrastructure.
• Johannesburg's mayoral candidate, Helen Zille, traded her snorkel for a fishing rod and took on the City of Johannesburg a few days after her pothole swim caught major attention.

Source: Briefly News