The Good Party has raised concerns about the legitimacy of Helen Zille's campaign to become the next mayor of Johannesburg, citing her recent move to the city from Cape Town. According to the party, Zille's spouse continues to live in Cape Town, raising questions about her ordinary residence. The Good Party is seeking a legal opinion on whether Zille's registration complies with the Electoral Act.
Zille, a former Cape Town Mayor and Western Cape Premier, moved to Johannesburg this year to focus on her mayoral campaign. She claims to have been ordinarily resident in Johannesburg since January and has spent 99% of her time there. However, the Good Party's secretary general, Brett Herron, disputes this, saying her presence in Johannesburg appears to be a temporary absence from Cape Town.
The Good Party's concerns about Zille's residency are not unfounded, as she has publicly stated that her husband, church, and retirement village are in Cape Town, and she regularly returns home. Herron argues that this suggests she has not truly changed her hometown. The party has previously challenged similar principles in by-elections in George in 2023.
The inquiry into Zille's residency is not retaliatory, according to Herron, but rather a response to the DA's legal challenge on the Good Party's lists. The DA had filed an Electoral Court case challenging four parties' decision to include only one candidate on its proportional representation candidate lists for several municipalities.
Zille is not the only mayoral candidate to face questions about their residency. ActionSA's Dereleen James, a Johannesburg-born resident, is running as the party's mayoral candidate in Cape Town, while Mthatha-born African Transformation Movement (ATM) parliamentary leader Vuyo Zungula is challenging Zille for the mayoral chain in Johannesburg.
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) has not yet commented on the matter. However, the Good Party's concerns about Zille's residency may have implications for her campaign. If the IEC were to find that Zille did not meet the requirements for residency, it could potentially disqualify her from the election.
The controversy surrounding Zille's residency highlights the complexities of electoral law in South Africa. As the country prepares for local government elections, parties are scrutinizing each other's candidates and campaigns. The outcome of the inquiry into Zille's residency may have significant implications for her campaign and the broader electoral landscape.
Key points
- Good Party questions Helen Zille's residency in Johannesburg amid mayoral campaign
- Zille claims to have been ordinarily resident in Johannesburg since January
- Inquiry into Zille's residency may have implications for her campaign and the broader electoral landscape
