A Party Divided

Comebacks, unexpected appointments and big resignations – experts weigh in on the future of the Democratic Alliance

- Jane Vorster

A POLITICAL bloodbath, a train wreck, the death rattle of a party on its last legs – the metaphors have been flying thick and fast as South Africans have struggled to make sense of the cataclysmic events that have been unfolding in the Democratic Alliance.

Leader Mmusi Maimane, the party’s national chair Athol Trollip, and Joburg mayor Herman Mashaba: all gone within the space of two days. And the last person standing: Helen Zille.

In one of the most unexpected comebacks in South African political history, Zille (68) came out of retirement and somehow managed to get herself voted in as chair of the DA’s federal council, one of the party’s top jobs – and within days all hell was breaking loose.

Analysts are describing her as being like a wrecking ball, swinging through the party.

How has she done it? A few months ago she was persona non grata – her tweets about colonialism and race saw her stripped of all party duties.

When her term as Western Cape premier came to an end in May many of her colleagues were relieved to see her shuffling off into retirement.

But a few months can be an eternity in politics – and clearly retirement wasn’t her cup of tea. In a surprise move, Zille threw her hat into the ring to replace James Selfe as council chair.

This was the last straw for Maimane. Dogged by a host of other problems, he couldn’t face working with his former mentor who’d passed on the leadership baton to him in 2015.

As he and Trollip announced their resignation they both said more or less the same thing: their positions had become untenable because the party had lost its way.

Or as Maimane put it, “In the end, we have come to the conclusion that despite my best efforts, the DA isn’t the vehicle best suited to take forward the vision of building one South Africa for all.”