Lindiwe Mazibuko unseated incumbent Athol Trollip and became the new Democratic Alliance (DA) Parliamentary Leader at elections held behind closed doors at parliament this morning (see October 11th and May 18th posts).
“A signal that the 31 year-old had won came from the sound of ululating that followed a burst of applause from behind the shut doors of Room E249 in the National Assembly building.”
Mazibuko’s campaign over the last month succeeded in persuading a comfortable majority of the DA’s 83-member caucus to back her.
Mazibuko said she was “humbled and honored” and “excited about the future”. She paid tribute to Trollip. “I am grateful for his warmth and support.”
She said she was looking forward to continuing in the tradition set by her predecessors in continuing to build the party as an effective opposition (to the ruling ANC party), and more particularly, as a government in waiting.