Mbali Ntuli is to resign as leader of the DA Youth before the end of her term after she was allocated one of the most remote constituencies in South Africa.
The 26-year-old will remain a DA member of the KwaZulu-Natal legislature.
Ntuli said yesterday that she would focus on building the party base in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
She informed the party leadership and the DA Youth leadership on Friday and told DA members yesterday. The resignation will take effect by the end of the month.
The outspoken Ntuli has on occasion been reprimanded by party leader Helen Zille for differing with the DA leadership on strategic policy.
Ntuli, who is from Durban, was elected a DA member of the KwaZulu-Natal legislature in May. She was allocated the remote uMkhanyakude constituency, which covers the rural area between Mtubatuba and the Mozambique border.
DA national spokeswoman Phumzile van Damme said Ntuli's new constituency was a long distance from her home base and had few DA structures. "We wish her well on this new challenge, which she will no doubt tackle with tenacity and energy."
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