By Zukile Majova
Still going strong at 72, DA boss Helen Zille feels energetic and confident as she prepares to lead her party to the 2024 national general elections.
The Chairperson of the DA Federal Council is expected to be re-elected uncontested at the party’s elective congress on 1 and 2 April.
For almost two decades Zille led her party to its heights achieving 22.2% of the national vote in 2014 and reducing the ANC majority to below 50% in key metros like Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, Tshwane, Nelson Mandela Bay, and eThekwini.
But the DA took a knock for the first time in the 2019 elections. It dropped from 22.23% to 20.7%.
Various political parties are now fishing in what used to be the DA’s pool of traditional voters. These include the Patriotic Alliance, the Good Party, ActionSA, and the Freedom Front Plus.
During these complex times for the DA, the now 10-year-old EFF has made inroads into the black middle-class vote increasing from just 6.3% in 2014 to 10.8% in 2019.
With this background, Gogo Zille is expected to lead her party into the biggest election in South Africa since 1994.
She said it all begins with the look of the DA federal council that will be elected this weekend. Zille said the federal council has confidence in her abilities to lead the party into the future.
“I am committed to non-racialism. Everybody knows that” she told Newzroom Afrika.
“I can work hard. I can work 18 hours a day under all conditions. I know how to manage things, and I know how to run things. And I am going to be elected unopposed which means the federal council thinks so too.”
The main election struggle at the DA elective congress will be between John Steenhuisen and Dr. Mpho Phalatse who is contesting the position of leader of the DA.
Over 2,000 delegates will participate in the DA congress at Gallagher Estate.
Pictured above: Mama Nontsapho [Helen Zille’s Xhosa name] still going strong and ready for the 2024 elections
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