A black cashier’s son from Soweto and a white farmer from Bedford in the Eastern Cape have been elected as the new leaders of the Democratic Alliance.
Both have strong Eastern Cape roots and pledged a new-look DA based on values and not race.
Mmusi Maimane was elected as the party’s first black leader at the DA federal congress in Nelson Mandela Bay metro.
Eastern Cape DA leader Athol Trollip was elected as the new federal chairman, and was confirmed as the party’s mayoral candidate for the metro, one of three metros the party hopes to run after next year’s local government elections.
Maimane was born and raised in Dobsonville, Soweto. His mother, Ethel, from Cofimvaba, is Xhosa, while his father, Simon, was born in Soweto of Tswana ancestry in the Bafokeng clan.
The historic elections came both in a metro named after South Africa’s iconic leader and on the anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s inauguration as South Africa’s first democratic black leader.
Making his maiden speech as DA leader, Maimane said: “Here in this party there will be no room for those who seek to divide, or those who want to mobilise on the basis of race”.
He said the DA would remain strong even if “we disagree with each other” because it was a party built on a strong foundation of shared values.
“That’s what makes us different from other parties.”
He said the DA was going to work hard to fight what he described as the DA’s “real enemies” – unemployment, poverty and inequality.
Asked about the coincidence of being elected the DA’s first black leader on May 10, Maimane said: “I cannot be more delighted about this”.
Maimane sounded a warning to ANC leader President Jacob Zuma that soon he would have his day in court.
The DA went to court last year to demand the records which had resulted in the National Prosecuting Authority dropping criminal charges against Zuma.
“President Zuma, if you are watching this programme, we are still coming for you.
“Make no mistake, you will have your day in court. In a democracy, nobody is above the law,” Maimane said.
The party has set its sights on winning power in Ekurhuleni metro, the city of Johannesburg and Nelson Mandela metro.
Maimane said it was significant that the party was holding its congress in Port Elizabeth because the metro was named after Nelson Mandela, an icon.
“We want to make sure that we become a government here and strategically set our objectives to governing more metros in Gauteng. Election 2016 starts first thing tomorrow morning.”
In his speech after being elected DA federal chairman, Trollip said it was also significant that the DA had announced its mayoral candidate 15 months before elections.
“We want to run a proper campaign where we do not leave anyone out, and we don’t leave any community out.
“So we are going to go to every home in this city . We are going to create a momentum where people will believe that the DA will listen to their needs and that the DA will deal with those challenges,” he said.
Referring to the DA’s governance of both the Western Cape and City of Cape Town, Trollip said Nelson Mandela metro residents could see the benefits.
“We are very conscious that just over the border, not far from here, people can see that the grass is greener on the other side.
“So what we have to do is to convince people in this city that they can have a Western Cape government in the Eastern Cape. And it’s starting to resonate,” he said.
DA delegate Andile Dube, of Samora in the Western Cape, said he was very excited that history had been made to confirm that the “DA is different”.
“We are making history going forward. This party is not only for white people. Helen Zille has shown us the way that this is a party for all,” Dube said.
“I’m equally excited about the outcomes of the federal chairman. Athol Trollip has a lot of experience.”
In his closing remarks, Maimane said: “The future is indeed bright if we work as a team”.
Video: Maimane new DA leader
Both have strong Eastern Cape roots and pledged a new-look DA based on values and not race.
Mmusi Maimane was elected as the party’s first black leader at the DA federal congress in Nelson Mandela Bay metro.
Eastern Cape DA leader Athol Trollip was elected as the new federal chairman, and was confirmed as the party’s mayoral candidate for the metro, one of three metros the party hopes to run after next year’s local government elections.
Maimane was born and raised in Dobsonville, Soweto. His mother, Ethel, from Cofimvaba, is Xhosa, while his father, Simon, was born in Soweto of Tswana ancestry in the Bafokeng clan.
The historic elections came both in a metro named after South Africa’s iconic leader and on the anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s inauguration as South Africa’s first democratic black leader.
Making his maiden speech as DA leader, Maimane said: “Here in this party there will be no room for those who seek to divide, or those who want to mobilise on the basis of race”.
He said the DA would remain strong even if “we disagree with each other” because it was a party built on a strong foundation of shared values.
“That’s what makes us different from other parties.”
He said the DA was going to work hard to fight what he described as the DA’s “real enemies” – unemployment, poverty and inequality.
Asked about the coincidence of being elected the DA’s first black leader on May 10, Maimane said: “I cannot be more delighted about this”.
Maimane sounded a warning to ANC leader President Jacob Zuma that soon he would have his day in court.
The DA went to court last year to demand the records which had resulted in the National Prosecuting Authority dropping criminal charges against Zuma.
“President Zuma, if you are watching this programme, we are still coming for you.
“Make no mistake, you will have your day in court. In a democracy, nobody is above the law,” Maimane said.
The party has set its sights on winning power in Ekurhuleni metro, the city of Johannesburg and Nelson Mandela metro.
Maimane said it was significant that the party was holding its congress in Port Elizabeth because the metro was named after Nelson Mandela, an icon.
“We want to make sure that we become a government here and strategically set our objectives to governing more metros in Gauteng. Election 2016 starts first thing tomorrow morning.”
In his speech after being elected DA federal chairman, Trollip said it was also significant that the DA had announced its mayoral candidate 15 months before elections.
“We want to run a proper campaign where we do not leave anyone out, and we don’t leave any community out.
“So we are going to go to every home in this city . We are going to create a momentum where people will believe that the DA will listen to their needs and that the DA will deal with those challenges,” he said.
Referring to the DA’s governance of both the Western Cape and City of Cape Town, Trollip said Nelson Mandela metro residents could see the benefits.
“We are very conscious that just over the border, not far from here, people can see that the grass is greener on the other side.
“So what we have to do is to convince people in this city that they can have a Western Cape government in the Eastern Cape. And it’s starting to resonate,” he said.
DA delegate Andile Dube, of Samora in the Western Cape, said he was very excited that history had been made to confirm that the “DA is different”.
“We are making history going forward. This party is not only for white people. Helen Zille has shown us the way that this is a party for all,” Dube said.
“I’m equally excited about the outcomes of the federal chairman. Athol Trollip has a lot of experience.”
In his closing remarks, Maimane said: “The future is indeed bright if we work as a team”.
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