Where Helen gets her moves

Her mother's caregiver and a hip Johannesburg councillor are the secret choreographers behind opposition leader Helen Zille's dance moves.

Debate over her energetic dance routine took centre stage this week as she jived with supporters between policy talks on a pre-election campaign.

Unperturbed by ANCYL leader Julius Malema's remarks that she danced like a "monkey", the DA leader continued to unveil new steps at rallies around the country.

Without naming her directly, Malema appeared to liken Zille, 60, to a monkey at the ANC manifesto rally in the Westenberg township, near Polokwane, last Saturday. He inferred that she was "dancing like a monkey because she is looking for votes".

But, between speeches on job creation, policing and water availability this week, Zille took the criticism in her stride.

"Dancing is part of SA's political culture. I love dancing, even though I am no 'twinkle toes'. But who cares? The point is to move and enjoy yourself and not to feel inhibited," she said.

Zille credits the DA's youngest Johannesburg councillor, Toni Molefe, 27, and her mother's caregiver, Lydia Puleng Thulo, 41, with showing her the ropes.

"I owe a lot to Ms Lydia Puleng Thulo," said Zille. "She gave me a good lesson in my mother's bedroom in Johannesburg before the DA's manifesto launch. I was practising the right moves for Brenda Fassie's 'Vul'indlela'. My mom, who is not well, was lying in bed giving me a full-on critique, and it wasn't particularly flattering. Lydia came to my rescue and helped me move with the music."

Said Thulo: "Helen was looking in the mirror to see if she was getting it right, so I got up and showed her how to do it. She caught on quickly."

Thulo has worked for the family for 17 years and now cares for Zille's 92-year-old mother, Mila.

Meanwhile, Molefe, who majored in radio and sound engineering at Boston Media House in Sandton, said he kept his fingers on the pulse. "I'm the youngest DA councillor in Johannesburg. Obviously I know what the youth is into, and I teach that to Helen. I've always loved the beats, and when I go 'doef, doef, doef,' Helen gets down with her moves," he laughed. "You ain't seen nothing - we're going to unveil some more moves this week. Helen's going to get down and spin."

Said Zille: "My sons want to die of embarrassment. But I told them, 'That's why you have parents - to embarrass you sometimes.'"