Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – Mmusi Maimane, parliamentary leader of the official South African opposition Democractic Alliance, on Sunday became the new head of the party.
Delegates at the party’s congress in Port Elizabeth voted for the first black leader of the party that garnered 22 percent of the national vote in last year’s elections.
Maimane was challenged by the outgoing federal chair Wilmot James and two other members, Adrian Naidoo and Morgan Oliphant.
In his acceptance speech, Maimane said it is critical for the party to take lessons from the past: “All of us are animated by the idea of building a better tomorrow. All of us carry the belief that, out of the ashes of apartheid, a prosperous and united South Africa can emerge.
“Sometimes we disagree with each other because we care so much about the future we want to build. It is healthy for us to engage in robust debate. But, equally, there is no room in this party for those who seek to divide, or those who mobilise on race. We must challenge each other’s ideas in a constructive manner. For this is how we learn from each other and grow stronger,” he said.
The election came after party stalwart Helen Zille last month announced that she would not seek re-election as party leader at the congress. However, she will continue to serve as the Western Cape Premier until the end of her term in mid-2019.
She remains a thorn in the side of the ruling African National Congress because the Western Cape is the only province which is not run by the ANC and is widely perceived to be the best run.
