‘I stand behind her’: Mphithi says he will work with Zille to get township votes in Johannesburg

2026-03-03 - 09:33

The DA in Johannesburg could soon have a black leader who will assist Helen Zille to obtain support in townships across the city. Luyolo Mphithi, the DA’s former youth leader, has raised his hand for the position of DA regional chairperson. The party will have its regional elective congress later this month. Mphithi announced his intention to stand for the position in Johannesburg on Tuesday. He told The Citizen that his election will complement Zille’s mayoral campaign. “What is important for us is that we need to be able to increase our footprint in areas such as Soweto, Orange Farm and Alexandra, and it is important to have someone like myself who has been working in these areas for more than 10 years. “I think for Helen’s campaign to go over the 50% line, we have to grow in areas that we have not been strongest in. I can drive that strategy and bring the appeal to our people in the townships,” he said. ALSO READ: Zille rolls out red carpet for ActionSA defectors as Mashaba threatens to fire rogue members Why should residents support the DA? Mphithi said he has a vision of making the DA the biggest party in Johannesburg. “Service delivery in Johannesburg has broken down, and local government has failed them. The DA can bring back confidence in government. People are beginning to see that the ANC is falling apart and the DA is here to prove that we can deliver services, and our track record speaks for itself,” he said. Mphithi said he also wants to make the DA offices more accessible to Joburg residents. “Another thing that we need to do is to be visible not only through campaigning, doing door-to-door and reaching out to residents, but we also have to be on the ground, people need to know where to find us to bring their issues. DA representatives must be able to be resources to our people,” he said. Support for Zille and the DA brand Mphithi said he also wants to present the DA as a party in which all South Africans can prosper equally. He rubbished accusations from opposition parties that Zille will ignore service delivery in the townships should she become the next mayor of the City of Johannesburg. “Helen is one of the most experienced public servants we have in the country. She has been the mayor of the City of Cape Town for two terms; she has been voted the best mayor in the world. These things did not happen by chance; she has dedicated herself to serve.” Mphithi said Johannesburg needs someone like Zille in charge. “I really hope that residents of Johannesburg give her an opportunity. I stand behind her, and I know that she is really invested in ensuring that she wins the votes she needs. Her heart is with the people of Johannesburg and not parts of Johannesburg,” he said. Mphithi is expected to contest Wendy Alexandra, who is the current chairperson of the region. This contest comes months before the local government elections. It also comes at a time when parties like the ANC are losing support in the townships where they once enjoyed strong support. Mphithi is the current deputy chairperson of the region, and he is also an MP. NOW READ: No-show sinks no-confidence motion against Joburg mayor