Helen Zille Is Running for Mayor of Johannesburg and Needling the ANC NYT - World By: John Eligon and Zimasa Matiwane 4 November 2026 at 10:23 As South Africans head to the polls on Wednesday, Helen Zille, 75, is betting voters care less about race and more about public services in her bid to become mayor of Johannesburg. Β© Joao Silva/The New York TimesHelen Zille, the Democratic Allianceβs mayoral candidate for Johannesburg, voting on Wednesday.