Zille to Run for Chairwoman of South Africa's Opposition DA

(Bloomberg) -- Helen Zille, the former leader of South Africa’s main opposition Democratic Alliance, said she’s running for chairwoman of the party’s federal council.

A return to the senior ranks of the party would mark a comeback for former Cape Town mayor. A polarizing figure, Zille was forced to step down from the DA’s leadership structure in 2017 after a series of controversial tweets in which she defended aspects of colonialism.

South African Opposition Defuses Row Over Colonialism Tweets

“Her politics used to be progressive and inclusive, which genuinely attracted broad-based support,” said Ryan Cummings, a director at Signal Risk, which advises companies in Africa. “Now she is just as shrill, reactionary and out-of-touch as the DA constituent she initially tried to veer away from.“

Zille said she’d decided on running after being approached to do so by senior party leaders. James Selfe stepped down as chairman in July, and his replacement will be decided in October.

“As a party it is important for us to reflect, to introspect and to begin the process of reconnecting with voters,” Zille, 68, said in a Twitter posting. “My objective will be to support the leadership in its goal of stabilizing the party and getting it back on track.”

The DA’s share of the vote shrank to 20.8% in May elections, from 22.2% five years earlier. Zille led the DA from 2007 to 2015, and is a former premier of the Western Cape province.

To contact the reporter on this story: Paul Vecchiatto in Cape Town at pvecchiatto@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Paul Richardson at pmrichardson@bloomberg.net, Mike Cohen

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