
'We don't want Helen Zille as mayor': Ntsiki Mazwai
Outspoken media personality Ntsiki Mazwai has called for South Africans to reject former DA leader Helen Zille's plans to run for mayor of Joburg.
Known for her controversial comments, the Moja Love star has gone as far as to call the 74-year-old a 'white supremacist'.
Last week, the woman dubbed 'GodZille' confirmed that she was contemplating the monumental task of 'saving' Johannesburg.
In a viral X post, Ntsiki Mazwai appealed to South Africans to reject Helen Zille's Joburg mayoral bid.
She said: 'We cannot afford to have Helen Zille as mayor of Joburg. She is 100 million times worse than Cyril Ramaphosa.
'She is a white supremacist, and if you look at the Western Cape, you'll see that black people are abused there. They live in s**t conditions. She wants to bring that to Joburg'.
Ntsiki – who has repeatedly called out politicians, particularly from the SA, added: 'She comes from a traumatic past for black people and she is triggering. We don't want her, she can go and retire, it's good'.
She added that voting for Helen Zille as Joburg's next mayor would be 'a huge and scary mistake that would negatively impact the black masses'
In another comment, Ntsiki agreed with her followers that the current mayor, Dado Morero of the ANC, was not the best option for the city.
'Anyone is better than Dada, guys. Helen is still not the answer', she posted.
While Ntsiki Mazwai has rejected Gozille's ambitions, others are supporting it.
In a tweet that also went viral, author Khaya Dlanga urged South Africans to give Helen Zille a chance, claiming that she offered a 'real, visible alternative'
Anti-Apartheid activist Adam Habib stated that Helen was 'Johannesburg's best hope'.
He added: 'Joburg needs water, power, roads, and frankly, governance. No one else has delivered it. Zille can!'
Actor Siv Ngesi added, 'Jozi is such a huge mess, even the locals who hate @helenzille know that this would be the best thing for that dump of a place!'
Speaking to eNCA, Helen Zille claimed that she had until Friday to officially submit her application to contest her bid as Johannesburg mayor.
The DA's selection panel would then pick a suitable candidate from several names, including Zille's.
'Joburg is my hometown. I was born in Hillbrow, which looks very different than what it does today. Joburg was a functional city that I love and believe is the powerhouse of South Africa. Its health and its functionality is make or break for South Africa.'
She added: 'If Joburg doesn't succeed, South Africa does not succeed.'
Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp , Facebook , X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 .
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Eyewitness News
35 minutes ago
- Eyewitness News
First group of SANDF soldiers deployed to DRC set to return home on Friday
JOHANNESBURG - The first group of South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers deployed to war-torn eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is set to touch down on home soil on Friday. The troops have been stationed in Goma since December 2023 in peacekeeping efforts amid tensions between DRC forces and M23 rebels. They were part of teams deployed by the Southern African Development Community (SADC), alongside soldiers from Tanzania and Malawi. The number of returning soldiers is unclear at this stage. Earlier in 2025, a decision was taken to withdraw all SADC Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC) troops after a ceasefire was brokered between the Congolese government and M23 rebels. The SANDF confirmed the exit of the peacekeepers and artillery would be done in stages. In April, 57 soldiers travelled by road from their bases in Goma and Sake in eastern DRC, through Rwanda to Tanzania. The group, including 30 South Africans, were part of the advance party that was organising the withdrawal of the remaining SAMIDRC force, which is believed to be between 2,000 and 3,000 troops. "he troops will be welcomed by the minister of defence and military veterans, accompanied by the members of the Military Command Council," said SANDF Rear Admiral Prince Tshabalala Despite criticism about the deployment, a lack of resources and the death of 14 soldiers, the SANDF believes the mission was a success.


The Citizen
an hour ago
- The Citizen
E-toll debt bites into traffic light repair budget
The DA has raised serious concerns about an imminent budget shortfall that will see Gauteng's provincial traffic light maintenance grind to a halt before the end of July. This looming crisis threatens the safety and mobility of millions of road users across the province, including key urban areas such as Pretoria. 'This will affect the whole of the province,' warned Evert du Plessis, DA Gauteng spokesperson for Roads and Transport. 'There are traffic lights that belong to and are maintained by the province in every metro and municipality. Pretoria will definitely be affected as well.' The budget shortfall was revealed during a recent Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) Transport, Roads, and Logistics Committee meeting. Committee members were told that the allocated funds will be exhausted before the end of July, just three months into the financial year. In Pretoria, provincial roads, designated by the letter 'R', crisscross the city and act as vital connectors between suburbs and national routes. These include major corridors like the R55 and connecting streets, where intersections often depend on traffic signals to regulate the complex flow of daily commuters. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that provincial roads often intersect with national (Sanral) and municipal roads, creating shared responsibilities between all three spheres of government. 'We don't have a specific list for dysfunctional traffic lights on Tshwane's provincial roads as it changes on a daily basis,' explained Du Plessis. 'There are, however, a substantial number of provincial and national roads that cross metro boundaries. So all three tiers of government must take responsibility for their own infrastructure.' However, without a functional maintenance budget, Gauteng's provincial authorities will soon no longer be able to service their share of these intersections. Du Plessis said this shortfall is more than just an administrative hiccup. 'Non-functioning traffic lights pose a real threat to public safety, placing motorists and pedestrians at risk of collisions, violent crime at intersections, and delays that disrupt the daily routines of workers, parents, and emergency services. 'For the remaining nine months of the year, motorists could be stuck in gridlock, relying on pointsmen instead of functioning systems to reach their destinations,' he said. The DA has linked the budget collapse to Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi's decision to commit provincial funds to paying off e-toll debt, an obligation the province was never legally bound to. Lesufi said on March 18 that the Gauteng government will absorb the e-toll debt and will continue to service it. He also confirmed that the provincial government has gone to the Development Bank of Southern Africa for a loan to be able to service the shortfall on e-tolls. The total e-toll debt that the provincial government has to pay back is more than R20-billion. This includes R12.9-billion for the historical debt, R4-billion for interest, and R4-billion for maintenance. The government has agreed to repay this debt in five equal annual instalments, with the first payment of R3.8-billion being made on September 30, 2024. 'This is another example of service delivery money being squashed by an irrational political commitment,' said Du Plessis. The party has called on Gauteng MEC for Roads, Transport and Logistics, Kedibone Diale-Thabela, and the head of the department, Thulani Mdadane, to urgently redirect funding and prevent a province-wide gridlock. 'New technology and the assistance of law enforcement would also go a long way to address this ever-escalating problem,' he added. The DA pledged to continue pressing the issue in the GPL, demanding answers and accountability from the ANC-led provincial government. 'A DA-led Gauteng government would not allow residents to be placed in such dangerous or frustrating situations,' he said. 'We will prioritise funding for traffic lights as a matter of extreme urgency to ensure the safety and well-being of all road users in Gauteng.' Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading! Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App Stay in the know. Download the Caxton Local News Network App here


The Citizen
2 hours ago
- The Citizen
Entrepreneurship thrives when youth gain vocational skills early
TVET improvements focus on practical assessments and relevant math and science to prepare youth for trades and entrepreneurship. Economist Dawie Roodt set the cat among the pigeons recently when he said many public universities should be converted into colleges that produce skills the economy needs. Only 10% of young people should go to university, he said, adding that the greater economic need is for artisans. It can easily be argued that in some respects technical and vocational education and training (TVET) is failing young South Africans, just as it would be correct to say academic education is the wrong choice for others. Stigma One of apartheid's many indignities was inferior technical and vocational training for black South Africans. Ironically, the reason the stigma needs to be broken is to break the economic shackles that bind young people, and it's been done elsewhere in Africa: Many Mauritians have technical and vocational qualifications and the government invests heavily in this sector. Economic growth in Mauritius was 4.7% last year. Kenya has numerous TVET institutions, with a growing emphasis on public-private partnerships and the recognition of informal prior learning. Economic growth was 4.7% last year. Ghana has reformed its TVET sector and prioritised competency-based training in key skills needed in the large informal sector. Economic growth was 5.7% last year. Rwanda has linked its TVET system to the needs of the informal economy and seen a significant increase in TVET enrolment. Economic growth was 6.9% last year. ALSO READ: Higher Education and Nsfas vow action amid Durban student protests In South Africa, where economic growth was 0.6% last year, moves to improve the impact of TVET include the introduction of qualifications that place greater emphasis on practical skills. Vijayen Naidoo, CEO of the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations, told a recent X Space discussion, hosted by Kagiso Trust, that instead of writing four theoretical exams at each level, students would have an assessment that tests their theoretical and practical skills. Importantly, only the 'appropriate level' of maths and science to practise a trade would be required, not a matric pass. Key steps Panellist Rodney Mokoena studied entrepreneurship at a TVET college, then launched the Global Application Office, which supports students as they apply for university and TVET places. He said those with skills were well placed to find employment. It's a sentiment that was high on the agenda at an event flowing from SA's 2025 presidency of the G20: the Future of Jobs Summit in Joburg last month. ALSO READ: Frustration mounts as higher education websites remain offline for days The person named at the summit as the 2025 Entrepreneurial Leader of the Year was someone whose business was built on vocational skills. As a schoolboy, Sheldon Tatchell started cutting hair on a stoep in Eldorado Park. All he had was clippers and a chair. Today, he has more than 70 Legends barber shops in five African countries. Speaking recently at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, Tatchell highlighted the power of vocational education. In October, delegates at last month's summit will table their Future of Job Creation Report with the Presidency, parliament, and the 21 Sector Education and Training Authorities. There is no doubt TVET will emerge as a prominent part of their strategy, making the report a milestone in giving vocational training the status it deserves.