Zille blocked from Metro Centre visit, says DA

By Levy Masiteng 

DA Johannesburg mayoral candidate Helen Zille and party councillors said security staff blocked them from an oversight visit to the Metro Centre on Thursday, fuelling a row over the future of the shuttered building.

The incident comes as Zille has stepped up a highly visible pre-election campaign built around Johannesburg’s numerous service delivery failures.

ALSO READ: New Durban forensic lab handed over as KZN seeks faster case processing

Since launching her mayoral bid, she has repeatedly used oversight visits and viral stunts to spotlight potholes, flooding, and broken infrastructure, angering city officials.  

In a statement, the DA said Zille and the party representatives were denied access by security personnel and briefly prevented from leaving the premises while the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department was called.

Zille described the incident as deeply troubling, saying: “The refusal to allow oversight is sinister and undemocratic, especially as billions in public