Helen Zille accused the African National Congress of using Black Economic Empowerment to enrich party insiders while leaving most South Africans in poverty. The Democratic Alliance federal chairperson said the policy creates a cycle where government officials award contracts to politically connected businesses that deliver poor work and funnel money back to the party. She announced plans to introduce legislation that would replace race-based preferences with poverty-focused economic reforms.
Zille leads the DA campaign for Johannesburg mayor ahead of the 2026 local elections, where surveys show the party tied with the ANC. She dismissed recent infrastructure improvements by the city administration as election stunts that ignore deeper corruption problems. The DA billboard campaign tells voters that the current system has made elites wealthy while the country has stayed poor. Party officials argue that merit-based policies would reduce unemployment and attract investment better than racial quotas.
Zille leads the DA campaign for Johannesburg mayor ahead of the 2026 local elections, where surveys show the party tied with the ANC. She dismissed recent infrastructure improvements by the city administration as election stunts that ignore deeper corruption problems. The DA billboard campaign tells voters that the current system has made elites wealthy while the country has stayed poor. Party officials argue that merit-based policies would reduce unemployment and attract investment better than racial quotas.
