JOHANNESBURG – DA mayoral candidate for Johannesburg Helen Zille was dramatically stopped in her tracks yesterday as she sought to embark on her campaign trail in Johannesburg.
Zille and her campaign team made their way to the closed metro centre building, which previously housed more than 2,000 city employees. She said she was there to conduct an inspection of the building, which was shut down in 2024 after the approval of a report in council recommending its closure, pending an estimated R2bn refurbishment.
However, once they gained entry, they were dramatically ambushed by Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officers, who closed the gates on them. The metro police also reportedly called for backup to arrest Zille and her team for alleged trespassing. Once chased out of the building, they were held at the gate and refused exit.
TimesLIVE reporters arrived on the scene moments after Zille pushed her way through a gap in the fence while being prevented from leaving, and moved quickly towards her vehicle.
“I was practically held hostage here, and they refused to let me out. There was nothing unlawful about wanting to do a site inspection on a building they have shut down for years,” she said as she was whisked away.
Former Johannesburg mayoral committee member and now DA MP Leah Knott was part of Zille’s delegation and was also refused exit.
Knott told TimesLIVE they were there to conduct oversight, which is part of her duties as a public representative.
“What it looks like inside is an abomination at the moment. The fixtures have been destroyed; the doors don’t close or lock. They tried to lock us in, but there are no locks, so unfortunately they didn’t get that right," Knott stated. “As public representatives, we have a right to come and see what is happening with the city’s facilities and report back to our constituencies. Our job is to perform oversight over the government and how they are managing these.”
The incident has sparked a heated debate about the rights of public representatives to conduct oversight and the role of law enforcement in political activities. The DA has accused the JMPD of acting politically to obstruct Zille's campaign, while authorities have yet to comment on the specific circumstances surrounding the incident. The events are likely to further intensify political tensions in Johannesburg as the mayoral race heats up.
