FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HELEN ZILLE CANNOT SAVE JOBURG: AL JAMA-AH REJECTS DA MAYORAL BID, POINTING TO A DISASTROUS TRACK RECORD IN THE METRO AND ADVOCATING A NEW VISION FOR SOCIAL ENGINEERING
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA — AL JAMA-AH has strongly hit back against former Wits Vice-Chancellor Adam Habib’s endorsement of Democratic Alliance (DA) former Federal Council Chair Helen Zille as the DA’s mayoral candidate for the municipal elections in the City of Johannesburg.
AL JAMA-AH President, Deputy Minister of Social Development, and Presidential District Development Model (DDM) Champion for Johannesburg, Hon. Ganief Hendricks, declared that Habib “does not know what he is talking about.” Hendricks stated that the DA was given two distinct opportunities to lead the municipality and failed both times, plunging the City into severe governance and fiscal instability.
“The DA had two chances and failed twice. Johannesburg cannot afford a third experiment. We need DDM delivery, stability, jobs, and dignity,” said Hon. Ganief Hendricks. “While Helen Zille served as Federal Council Chair, the DA systematically dismantled Johannesburg’s administration. Now, she returns to finish the job and sabotage the City’s rightful vision to stand as the iconic economic beacon of Africa. Existing AL JAMA-AH councillors and ground leaders will do a vastly better job than Helen Zille.”
A NEW PHILOSOPHY OF LEADERSHIP: POLITICIANS MANAGE GOVERNMENT, A SOCIAL ENGINEER REDESIGNS SOCIETY
Hon. Hendricks emphasized that Johannesburg’s crisis cannot be solved by conventional political managers or reactive crisis management. Grounded in AL JAMA-AH’s core platform, Hendricks outlined a fundamentally distinct philosophy of governance:
* Social Engineering Over Politics: While standard politicians merely ask, “How do we respond to today’s crisis?”, a Social Engineer understands that cities are living ecosystems. Lasting progress does not happen by chance; it comes from designing interconnected systems that work together to improve daily life.
* Designing Connected Systems: A capable city relies on systems where every public institution is linked. Roads shape economic activity, libraries cultivate knowledge, parks strengthen community safety, reliable electricity attracts investment, and housing improves health and dignity. When these systems reinforce one another, shared prosperity becomes inevitable.
* Engineering a Capable State: Sustainable development begins with capable state institutions, professional public servants, and governments that consistently deliver. Before a city can create jobs or attract investment, it must build ethical, reliable, and effective institutions.
* Delivering Measurable Outcomes: For too long, local politics has focused on winning elections instead of producing measurable results, and managing crises instead of preventing them. AL JAMA-AH’s blueprint is built on rebuilding Johannesburg through practical leadership, accountability, and system-level redesign.
FACT SHEET: THE DA RECORD IN THE CITY OF JOHANNESBURG (2016MASHAB
When the Government of Local Unity took over from the Multi-Party Coalition, the City of Johannesburg was in its worst state in history. Organized labour was striking over the PFA, and communities were deprived of basic service delivery across all aspects of local government’s constitutional obligations. Crucially, the DA-led coalition suspended the revenue collection strategy, leaving contractors unpaid and grounding the JMPD fleet with threats to terminate the contract—effectively leaving the City without law enforcement resources.
The Democratic Alliance governed the City of Johannesburg across two volatile coalition terms.
This is their full record:
ERA 1: 2016–2019 | MAYOR HERMAN MASHABA
* SME Collapse: Arbitrary suspensions of vendor contracts under unproven corruption allegations caused widespread business closures and severe job losses.
* Staff Purges: Ideological purges of senior municipal personnel destroyed institutional memory and administrative trust.
* Illegal Spying via GFIS: Established the “Group Forensic and Investigative Services” (GFIS), duplicating the mandates of the JMPD and internal auditors. GFIS illegally procured and deployed signal-interception “grabber” equipment in direct violation of the RICA Act 70 of 2002, leading to scathing Public Protector findings recommending criminal charges.
* Council Blockade: AL JAMA-AH repeatedly raised governance alarms in Council but was systematically gagged by the coalition executive.
ERA 2: 2021–2023 | MAYOR DR. MPHO PHALATSE
* Revenue Collapse: Discontinued critical revenue collection strategies, collapsing municipal recovery systems and severely depleting City reserves.
* Selective Debt Write-Offs: Executed selective debt write-offs for affluent institutions that later became financial donors to the DA.
* Service Delivery Destruction: Terminated vendor contracts led to refuse crises at Pikitup, while Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) streams and youth employment initiatives were gutted.
* Governance Failure: Critical senior management positions were left vacant, while Unauthorised, Irregular, Fruitless, and Wasteful Expenditure (UIFWE) escalated drastically.
HOW AL JAMA-AH REMOVED THE DA AND RESTORED ORDER
Operating with three councillors, AL JAMA-AH’s strategy group built consensus across political lines, drafting and passing motions of no confidence to remove DA leadership:
-DA Chief Whip — Cllr Tyrell Meyers
-DA Speaker — Cllr Vasco da Gama
-DA Mayor — Dr. Mpho Phalatse
Through these strategic interventions, AL JAMA-AH successfully produced two Executive Mayors for the City of Johannesburg during this period.
AL JAMA-AH led the charge towards restoring order in Johannesburg by conducting community and stakeholder oversight in areas no previous Mayor dared to step foot. Party leadership quelled tensions in hostels and addressed mining belt violence caused by illegal mining, where infrastructure had begun caving in.
Through its core strategic priority of Engaged Citizenry, AL JAMA-AH established an Accelerated Service Delivery Program—a rapid, multi-disciplinary response addressing service breakdowns across all 7 regions through direct community engagements.
PROVEN TRACK RECORD, CRISIS MANAGEMENT & KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
When Johannesburg faced an unprecedented wave of disasters—including the Lilian Ngoyi Street explosion and the Usindiso Building fire—AL JAMA-AH was at the helm. Through extraordinary administrative work and intergovernmental support, the party restored calm and led the reconstruction effort.
Under AL JAMA-AH’s leadership, the City delivered key structural, policy, and administrative achievements:
* Strategic Policy Frameworks: Developed and implemented vital documentation, including the Disaster Management Policy, Infrastructure Plan, Electricity Response Plan, Water Strategy, and International Relations Strategy.
* Financial & Administrative Governance: Achieved 2 consecutive unqualified audits during its term of office. Reappointed senior management purged under the DA, securing essential appointments including the City Manager and Group CFO. Reversed the DA’s revenue collapse by launching an aggressive collection drive targeting big business consumers to restore municipal creditworthiness.
* Major Events & Urban Renewal: Successfully hosted the 2023 BRICS Summit without needing a Presidential task team. Re-established the Johannesburg Inner City Partnership Forum through the Safer City Strategy and expanded partnerships with organizations like Jozi My Jozi to reclaim the Inner City and CBDs.
* Historical Redress & Decolonization: Renamed William Nicol Drive to Winnie Mandela Drive to immortalize the Mother of the Nation and address colonial legacies in the post-colonial political dispensation.
* Major Development Planning: Pushed two major mega-projects—the Lanseria Smart City and Southern Farms—integrating marginalized economic corridors. Launched an online planning application system to streamline approvals and eliminate corrupt physical handshakes.
* Community, Youth & Women Empowerment: Launched the “I Am The Future” mentorship program adopting 5 schools (including special needs schools) and created Golf For Change Jozi. Spearheaded the “70th Anniversary for 70 Women” initiative driving gender parity in municipal opportunities.
* Security & Service Innovation: Deployed CCTV cameras, converted 10 game rangers into empowered Peace Officers, digitized cemetery records, and piloted the Library Information Systems (LIS) tool toward 24-hour township libraries. Partnered with PlanAct to deploy digital addresses on Google Maps paired with panic buttons in informal settlements for SAPS, ambulances, and firefighters.
PEOPLE-POWERED ALTERNATIVE: SOWETO, LENASIA & YOUTH LEADERSHIP
AL JAMA-AH maintains that putting Helen Zille in charge would be an insult to the people of Johannesburg, asserting that grounded leaders from local communities are far better suited to lead the Metro.
While party leadership evaluates the mayoral chain candidate, AL JAMA-AH fields strong, highly capable leadership teams across the Metro:
* The Lenasia Team: Led by Imraan Moosa, Jakes, Riaz, Rendani Imtiaz, and Joe.
* The Soweto Team: Led by Hon. Ganief Hendricks, Seth, Ashley, Thapello, Kabello, and Queen Xolani Mehlomakulu.
* Youth Mobilization: June 16, 1976 youth hero Seth Mazibuko is mobilizing young voters across the Metro. Fifty years after the 1976 uprising, Mazibuko’s partnership ensures that the aspirations of South African youth are realized through direct political empowerment and community leadership.
* Strategic Leadership: Community leader and organizational strategist Ashley Mama continues to champion economic empowerment, job creation, and SMME development. Supported by political advisors who have assisted three mayors, AL JAMA-AH brings unmatched municipal expertise.
Targeting 39 seats in the municipal elections, AL JAMA-AH aims to scale its non-silo District Development Model (DDM) across Johannesburg, uniting national, provincial, and municipal government with African Royal Women, youth leaders, and local communities.
ENDS
Issued by Asghar Khan on behalf of Al Jama-ah
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