Zille’s achievements remarkably phenomenal – analyst

Most DA leaders and members think my analysis of their party is usually ultra-critical. I always employ a ‘critical constructive approach’ whenever I analyse politics at micro and macro-political levels.

My analytical opinions are never aimed at paralysing the courage or determination of any political party. My critical analysis is geared at inspiring our political parties to work for the betterment of all citizens. I sincerely urge all political parties and politicians to try to capture some valuable lessons from my analyses.

Recently the DA leader, Helen Zille convened an impromptu media conference to announce her decision to quit as party leader next month.

The country was greatly stunned and puzzled by this unanticipated pronouncement. Despite my minor analytical differences with her, Zille’s political achievements are remarkably phenomenal.

She prudently transformed DA from an all-white “fight-back” party into a multi-racial liberal organisation. Under Tony Leon, the DA positioned itself as a party which harbours a wishful nostalgia for Apartheid-era privileges. In 2007 Zille succeeded Leon as party leader and suddenly introduced some structural changes within the party.

She recruited brilliant young black members and created leadership opportunities for them. Lindiwe Mazibuko and Mmusi Maimane are a flashy example of young leaders whose prominence was masterminded by Zille.

Under Zille’s stewardship, the DA’s electoral strength grew from 12% in 2004 to over 23% in 2014. She turned the DA into a “hungry political python” that swallows and feeds on smaller opposition parties. The DA’s ballooning electoral strength did not come at the expense of the ANC’s support base.

Zille’s DA rose to prominence by way of paralysing smaller parties and resultantly absorbing them within the party belly.

Last year the party almost gobbled up Agang-SA but members at branch level rebelled against that move.

Despite her limitations, Zille is a brilliant strategist when it comes to political alignment and coalition politics. I suspect she was on a covert mission to lure and absorb the EFF within the party political mainstream of the DA.

Zille’s major shortfall was her failure to cast race-politics out of the organisational fabric of the party. But her political achievements far outweigh her tactical failures and shortfalls.

I salute Zille for deciding to step down at a time when almost all DA members and supporters still needed her to continue steering the party.

Her announcement to step down is strategically aimed at catapulting Maimane into the party’s top leadership position. Maimane would benefit immensely from Zille’s strategic announcement.

In the absence of Zille, the DA is more likely to crumble and become another “rise-and-fall” political narrative.

Elvis Masoga

Political Analyst