Democratic Alliance former leader, Helen Zille has recently admitted that when she agreed to participate in the Showmax Roast, she had no idea what she was getting herself into.
Known for her tenacious and competitive spirit, Helen, who now works as the chair of the DA’s federal council, has built herself a reputation for being a force to be reckoned with in the political space. The countless insults from opposition leaders and the social media community have also allowed her to develop a thick skin in a country where the opinions of the public can often be harsh.
Reflecting on how and why she agreed to be the guest of honour, she recently told TshisaLive that she initially had no idea of what the Roast entailed, but that her idea of it was that it was a Sunday lunch. Thanks to her children, reality soon kicked in.
“I thought, ‘That’s like a Sunday lunch — sure!’ It sounded like an invitation to a roast chicken. So, I said yes. Only later did I realise it was something else entirely.”
She noted that when she told her sons about it, they were immediately shocked.
“They were like, ‘Ma, are you crazy? You’re putting yourself out there for a toasting! You’re going to be chewed up.’ I said, ‘That’s fine. I get chewed up every day.”
Be warned, isukile! ?@ShowmaxOnline let’s roast. pic.twitter.com/VNfmtuyHen
— Helen Zille (@helenzille) May 2, 2025
Meanwhile, she says that the reason she decided to go ahead was that being poked by the public was not something new to her, but she did admit that it would not have been the case had her loving mother still been alive.
“So much has happened in my life. I’ve been battered from every angle, cancelled countless times. If you look at my social media timeline, people are constantly being rude and carrying on. It just doesn’t bother me anymore.”
The Roast of Helen Zille is set to premier on Showmax this coming Friday.
Also see: Helen Zille to be roasted in the 2025 Showmax Roast
