Helen Zille, 75, Takes the Wheel in Drag-Racing Campaign Stunt

Helen Zille, the Democratic Alliance's 75-year-old Johannesburg mayoral candidate, has surprised South Africans by taking part in drag racing as part of her campaign. In video clips she shared on social media, Zille and a passenger are seen performing stunts on a track, according to The South African.

She has repeatedly dismissed criticism of her age, and the stunt is the latest in a string of attention-grabbing moments before the 4 November local government elections.

Key facts

Zille is the DA's Johannesburg mayoral candidate and is 75.
She posted video clips of herself drag racing, which she called "spinning".
A few days later she arrived at a DA rally in a BMW 325is nicknamed the "Gusheshe".
Local government elections take place on 4 November 2026.

What she said

Zille confirmed the rumours in a post, saying she had "spun" over the weekend and that on 4 November she would be "spinning Joburg in a new direction". She urged voters to back the DA on both ballots, to get the city working for everyone.

A campaign built on stunts

Since announcing her run for Johannesburg mayor a year ago, Zille has used a series of unusual stunts to win attention. The South African lists them as snorkelling in a water-filled pothole, canoeing in a road flooded by a faulty stormwater drain, ziplining over a sinkhole and DJing at a Fourways nightclub. Each highlights service-delivery failures in the city, which is a central theme of the DA's campaign.

Zille has said that age is not a barrier. Asked by the Sowetan last year whether someone aged 74 could be a mayoral candidate, she answered that the answer is no, and said younger generations must compete with her.

What "both ballots" means

In a metropolitan municipality such as Johannesburg, voters receive two ballot papers: one to choose a ward councillor and one for a party list in proportional representation. The mayor is not elected directly by voters. After the election, the new council chooses the mayor, so the party or coalition that controls the council usually decides who gets the job.

What this means for you

If you live in Johannesburg, your vote on 4 November decides who sits in the council, and therefore who can become mayor. Stunts aside, it is worth comparing parties' plans for water, electricity, roads and refuse collection.

Check your registration. Special voting is on 2 and 3 November for eligible voters, and Election Day on 4 November is a public holiday.