Lindiwe Mazibuko elected DA parliamentary leader
Lindiwe Mazibuko has been resoundingly elected as the Democratic Alliance's new parliamentary leader after she trounced Athol Trollip by 50 votes to 31 in the party’s caucus election on Thursday morning.
Mazibuko’s overwhelming victory not only makes her the youngest MP - at 31 - to lead a party in parliament but also the first black female to be leader of the official opposition in the National Assembly.
In her position as DA parliamentary chief, Mazibuko will lead her party’s parliamentary oversight on President Jacob Zuma and his deputy, Kgalema Motlanthe.
The results of the DA caucus elections were announced at a press conference in parliament by party leader Helen Zille, flanked by both Mazibuko and Trollip.
Mazibuko’s victory will see wholesale changes being made to the DA’s leadership in parliament.
NCOP MP Watty Watson is set to take over from Ian Davidson as chief whip in the National Assembly, while Wilmot James will replace James Masango as chairman of the caucus.
Zille paid tribute to the outgoing Trollip, saying he had added “enormous value” to the DA during his two-and-a-half-year stint as parliamentary leader.
“What I want to say about Athol’s leadership is what enormous value his leadership skills, his ability and his sacrifices over many decades have brought to the DA,” she said.
Mazibuko said she would continue to share the DA’s frontline benches in the National Assembly with Trollip until Speaker Max Sisulu had been informed of the changes in the party’s leadership structures.
Trollip said he would remain in parliament as an ordinary MP until his five-year term expires in 2014.
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Posted 572 days agoYou go Lindiwe!
Onward and upward
I'd like to know the margin by which she won, but a win by an inch or a mile, is a win either way.
dot.maiden
Posted 572 days agobuddi
Posted 572 days agoMzeen
Posted 572 days agoDannyArcher
dot.maiden
datraveller
staren
cANCerSurvivor
GreenRoom
MisterWendal
Posted 572 days agoI hope a good position will open up for Athol - I don't think he has done anything wrong in this position.
Pipza
Posted 572 days agoTrollip looks like a 'nice guy' from a distance, but unfortunately times have changed. The DA needed to appoint Lindiwe, and do it now in order to improve its image among black Africans.
Helen Zille is doing a very good job, and she needs to be commended for that. As a black person I have deep suspicions about the DA in general, but I a huge respect and trust for Zille. South Africa is richer to have a person like her. Long live Madame, Long live.
buddi
Why do you have "deep suspicions" about the DA and why don't you like them?
In the same sentence you write: I have deep suspicions about the DA in general, but I a huge respect and trust for Zille.
augustrain
DannyArcher
So please tell me, WHERE do your suspicions lie? It's idiot non-thinkers like you who have dragged SA to the edge of the abyss.
Pipza
ever heard statement like 'i like madiba, but i do not like the anc''? does it ring any bell? pause, think and tell if there is any 'contadiction' in that statement.
To safe you the misery of thinking (since i see this is not one of your strong points) let me tell you that there is no contradiction in the statement. I can like zille the person, and hate the organisation and the values that it represents. I believe zille is sorrounded by some racist former NATS and white liberals who are yearning for the 'return of and to' the 'good old days'.
The voting of lindiwe as chair of the party does not all of a sudden change the spirit and ideological composition of the party. You may believe that, but I don't.
@DannyAcher, I have no ANC membership for your info. However, I am more comfortable with it than I am with the DA. The reason for this has more to do with my lived history as a black person. I am the first to concede that the ANC sucks in many respects, but that does not automatically make the DA an agelic party. Quite the opposite if you ask me. I cannot share rub shoulders with my former adversaries. I am not a forgiving type.
Pipza
It is interesting that your understanding of 'transformed' differs from that of your own party. Or perhaps even you do not understand the philosophy of your own party.
DA constantly tell us that transformation is not about numbers i.e 'white versus blacks'. but rather much deeper than that. You must familiarise yourself with your own leader/ lindiwe mazibuko's conceptualisation of transformation before you expose your own ignorance. Coming to think of it, I think I can make a better DA member than you, houtkop.
BokFan
Well done Lindi. I am glad that the DA caucus learned from Helium Piet's mistakes and brought on the form player rather than the regular captain. Now bring us the Trophy. Another province would be a good start.
sanelez
Posted 572 days ago2nd Zille has done a phenominal job since taking over from Tony, I doubt under Tony DA would achieved what Zille has. I put Zille amongst Germany Chancillor, she is powerful, and I know there are quite a number of senior white leaders who are not happy with how she is running the party, kind of remind me of how NP was mergered with DP to form DA.
Lastly, as a ANC supporter, if only Zille will do more in uniting white with black people, perhaps I might be tempted. The fact is, majority of white people are very dangerous, given what they have had to experience under the new government, I feel that they can not wait to revenge, hence I still see many white folks teh same way as was during aprtheid.
The fact is, ANC is not delivering the promise, but I am not keen to have white government yet, I work for them, and I know how they are.
33gat775
Posted 572 days agoHow did she win; i more interested in lobbying than the figures who said what to whom; or we will see how the public view the so sarcastically called, "tea girl" if it will be a tea girl administration, i bet to see what it will imply; a new era; or a fade before it flies
Ndlwananhle-kayi-1
Posted 572 days agoaugustrain
Posted 572 days agozwelinapster
Posted 572 days agoGreat news and a move in the right direction. Good to see it materializing in the vote. Good luck.
NeoBlack
Posted 572 days agoThe fact that the DA has nominated Lindiwe as their new parliamentary chair, does not all of a sudden transform the party into a new, all inclusive party.
The DA remains a white party promoting white values. Only blacks who looks upto whiteness as standard for humanity will feel at home within the DA. The sad truth is there is a growing number of such 'non-whites' in Mzanzi today. That is the condition of some of our black middle-class (very uncultured and ashemd of everything black). Hence they speak English with their own kids as if there is anything wrong with speaking their own languages. They must take cue from teh afrikaners who know that to be 'modern', does not necessarily mean that you should Anglicise.
GreenRoom
PSG
Posted 572 days agoI asked IgnesFatui why s/he thinks that Lindiwe is a beacon of home for our country as I thought that she was another politicians similar to the rest of them.
PSG
politicians = politician.
Ndlwananhle-kayi-1
Posted 572 days agoIt will take more than 1 tea girl to convince the masses. In the words of Afriforum deputy ceo, "you can not say PAtrice Motsepe's son comes from a disadvantage background".
The same can be said by Lindiwe's recent success
Tony_
Posted 572 days agoShe must just enjoy her big pay raise...... just like JUJU said she begged for a job, now she is being used as a PUPPET!!!!!!
JerryYatriq
May have been a protege.
But she is stretching her wing is more than ever able to fly.
JerryYatriq
Posted 572 days agoWork out hard both intellectually and physically, (we need you fit and healthy), and you may be our future President. (Time also for the majority gender to be properly represented).
nomakanjanezm
monna.tia
Posted 572 days agoXovizwe
I am happy to witness the evolution within my lifetime. It would be sad to die and live my children with the futureless SA in the hands of ANC crooks.
With Lindiwe, there is future for SA and the next generation.
IgnesFatui
Good post again. The negative commentators know very well they don't have a leg to stand on. Jealousy just makes them nasty. How in the world can one even think of comparing our esteemed lady, also 31 years old, with Humpty Dumpty running amok on the filthy streets of Johannesburg - the doing of the anc.
GreenRoom
Rightway
Posted 572 days agoPopulist Arch rabble rouser, pied piper clone, tenderpreneur, fat cat Malema is not worthy of cutting grass at Lindiwe Mazibuko house. Lindiwe Mazibuko is also young and energetic and a class above Malema. She is the future of SA. The ANC are finished, leaderless and torn by factions and war lords. Malema is there brightest star..
Viva DA Viva! Viva Lindiwe Mazibuko viva.
Ndlwananhle-kayi-1
Posted 572 days agoIt will take abt 5 decades to have a credible oppossition in this country. Pretty soon, the predominant white view will form pressure groups like your Afriforums etc
nomakanjanezm
mwanza
Are u the "nomakanjane" i know?
PSG
ShLace
Posted 572 days agoNomakanjane, I see you Qabane, and excited to learn that you're still around. Perhaps now that you are back, the ANC will realize how 'Broken' they are, and work to mend the craze.
nomakanjanezm
well as for the ANC state of affairs - the less said the better mate
ShLace
All of us who lived through the early and have memories of the "Traditional Weapons" some very enthuistic followers a certain Freedom Party I will not name, from a province I will also not name, wielded on those who did not speak the same dialect, nor follow the same party. And those memories are scary. Its highly likely that the road to and fro Mangaung might very bloody. For this reason the more said now, the most likely that some of these consipiracies might dissolve.
BobbyBob
Posted 572 days agoBobbyBob
Posted 572 days agoJulius, the social / racial divider and opportunist. The wanabe destroyer of the economy and jobs and the future. The uncouth disrespectful bully who insults and threatens MP's and even the president. Who divides his party... and
Lindiwe, a positive , educated forward looking young leader.
The contrast could not be more stark. The one was ANC nurtured, the other DA. Imagine the whole country could be like Lindiwe!
Go girl!
The_Great_Pretender
Posted 572 days ago